Hospital didn’t detain SPB’s body, says son

Hospital didn’t detain SPB’s body, says son

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:29.09.2020

Three days after the death of S P Balasubrahmanyam, his son S P Charan, said vice-president M Venkaiah Naidu’s daughter did not help his family in settling the bills nor did the hospital detain his father’s body till they paid up.

“We paid for the hospital now and then. Some part of my dad’s treatment was covered by the insurance. After his death we asked the hospital about settlement. Our accountant was there with some cash. But the hospital said the hospital chairman has decided not to take any more money from us,” said Charana, a singer and producer, at a press conference at the hospital along with the doctors. “There were social media messages saying my dad’s body was retained by the hospital. This did not happen,” he said.

SPB, who had tested positive for Covid-19 was admitted to the hospital on August 5. On August 13, when his condition deteriorated he was moved to the ICU. Following expert medical advice he was put on a ventilator and ECMO. Health minister C Vijayabaskar met the doctors at MGM with a medical expert team from the government. The minster had told the media that the state was willing to help SPB.

Charan said he recently called health secretary J Radhakrishnan seeking clarification on what kind of help the state government was willing to offer. He said he was told that the state government had offered to help in whatever way needed. “I asked if they meant financial help as well. Health secretary said he will get back to me at the earliest,” he said.

Earlier, Charan had released a video to scotch the rumours. “This hospital and its doctors have done their best for my father. There is no basis for all these rumours. It is sad that it has to come at a time when we are grieving SPB’s loss,” he said.

Charan said his family has been clearing the air about various rumours ever since the admission. “We kept the press and people updated about my dad’s health. Sometimes we did not reveal some information because we did not want to panic people,” he said. For instance, the family decided not to announce that he had undergone tracheotomy because they were scared people would panic if he couldn't sing.

“My father died because of complications arising out of Covid, not because of Covid. The infection had destroyed the lungs. Doctors tried to help the organ heal, but it did not,” he said.