Sambalpur: Red Cross Rest House Under Shadow of Exploitation; SHG Women Accused of Arbitrary Fee Collection from Poor Patient Attendants

Excessive Fees Charged to Patient Families

Sambalpur: Families of patients visiting the Red Cross Rest House near the Burla Vimsar Medical Center have raised serious allegations of exploitation. The rest house, intended to provide affordable accommodation to patient families, is accused of charging exorbitant fees. Reports claim that women managing the rest house are collecting arbitrary amounts as fees from those seeking shelter.

One such victim, a family member of a patient, lodged a formal complaint with the District Collector, seeking immediate investigation and action against the malpractice.

The Complaint in Detail

According to the complainant, Brahmananda Banchhor, a resident of Tulsi Nagar in Balangir, admitted his wife Anandini Banchhor to the medicine ward of Vimsar on the night of December 21. Following the doctor’s advice to stay for a few days, Brahmananda visited the Red Cross Rest House on December 22 for accommodation.

The staff informed him that the daily fee for staying there was Rs. 400 for 24 hours. However, Brahmananda had heard that the charges were between Rs. 100 and Rs. 200 for similar facilities. When he inquired about this, the staff reportedly denied him accommodation unless he agreed to pay the Rs. 500 in advance, without issuing a receipt. When he demanded a receipt, they allegedly told him, “Stay if you can pay, or leave.”

With no other option, Brahmananda was forced to stay and later submitted a written complaint to the District Collector, requesting an investigation into the issue and appropriate action against those responsible.

Rest House Details and Past Issues

The Red Cross Rest House, inaugurated on September 27, 2023, has 55 beds and is operated by the Maa Durga SHG Group. The facility includes:

• 4 rooms with 10 beds each (Rs. 50 per bed per day)
• 5 rooms with 3 beds each (Rs. 200 per room per day)

According to the rules, receipts should be issued for any payment made. Despite this, complaints about arbitrary fee collection have surfaced multiple times. Earlier, a committee was formed to investigate similar issues, but its findings remain unaddressed.

Allegations of Cover-Up

Some Red Cross staff are accused of trying to suppress these complaints. Locals are now demanding the removal of the current management (SHG) and the appointment of a new group to ensure transparency.

The matter has drawn significant attention, with calls for accountability from authorities to resolve the exploitation and ensure fair treatment for patient families.