Dubai hospital waives Rs 1.52 cr COVID bill of Telangana worker

A hospital in Dubai has waived the Rs 1.52 crore bill of a labourer from Telangana, who was treated there for COVID-19.

Odnala Rajesh, who was under treatment at the Dubai Hospital for 80 days, reached Hyderabad in the early hours of Wednesday and left for his village in Jagtiyal district.

The 42-year-old was admitted to Dubai Hospital on April 23 and had tested positive for COVID-19. He recovered after 80 days of treatment and the hospital handed him a bill of 7,62,555 Arab Emirate Dirham (Rs 1 crore 52 lakh).

Gundelli Narasimha, president of the Gulf Workers' Protection Society in Dubai, who took the worker to the hospital and was visiting him regularly, brought the matter to the attention of Sumanth Reddy, an Indian Consulate volunteer in Dubai.

Reddy and Ashok Kotecha of BAPS Swaminarayan Trust requested Harjeet Singh, Consul (Labour) of Indian Consulate in Dubai, to help the poor worker.

Harjeet Singh wrote a letter to the Dubai Hospital management, requesting them to waive the bill on humanitarian grounds. They responded positively and waived the bill.

Dubai Hospital is a multi-specialty hospital and is a part of the Dubai Department of Health and Medical Services.

Ashok Kotecha provided free flight ticket to Rajesh and his escort Dyavara Kankaiah and paid Rs 10,000 for pocket expenses. They reached Hyderabad by an Air India Express flight.

Rajesh has been sent to 14-day home quarantine.