Sheela, a resident of Tavarekere, had to skip her meal on Thursday afternoon. With her husband hospitalised and the hospital refusing to give her change for Rs 500, she was left in the lurch.
Sheela's husband is being treated at the Minto Ophthalmic Hospital after undergoing an eye surgery. On Wednesday and Thursday, Sheela had a tough time arranging food and medicines to her husband. "I have just one Rs 500 note. With the pharmacy neither accepting it nor giving change, I have not had food since morning," she grieved.
Government hospitals turned down several patients with Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes even on day two. Private hospitals sought to be excused claiming that the rule to the two notes did not apply to them, putting patients to hardship. Meanwhile, at Victoria Hospital, the generic drug store Jana Sanjeevini too was facing shortage of lower denomination notes. Instead of turning away patients, they wrote the amount due to be returned on the prescription and asked patients to come back and collect it after a day or two.
"I purchased medicines for my mother. She has undergone surgery at Vani Vilas Hospital for a gynaecology-related issue. I have been asked to come back on Saturday and take the change. They did not refuse the Rs 500 but are not tendering change," said Ibrahim.
At private hospitals, out patient numbers dropped as Rs 500 notes were not accepted. In well-known private hospitals around Rajajinagar, Peenya and Vasanthnagar, the numbers had dropped considerably. "We have been asked not to accept Rs 500 notes by the management. It applies only to government hospitals," said a staffer at Fortis Hospitals.
