Bhubaneswar, Feb. 24: A private hospital today released a newborn girl it had allegedly been holding hostage as its father had failed to clear the dues.

The baby, who lost her mother within five days of birth, had remained at the hospital for about a month as she was suffering from jaundice.

Her father, Pratap Ghadai, 34, who had married Pravasini, 28, in May last year, said he had paid Rs 3 lakh, but they were asking for another Rs 3.98 lakh for treating the baby, who was suffering from jaundice.

'When my pregnant wife was diagnosed with jaundice, she was admitted to a hospital in Sambalpur. Later, she was shifted to VSS hospital in Burla. But as her condition deteriorated, I brought my wife to the hospital in Bhuba-neswar,' said Ghadai, a Sambalpur resident.

The problem cropped up when the hospital authorities asked him to pay nearly Rs 3 lakh as fees initially. Ghadai approached the local MLA, local administration and the Chief Minister's Relief Fund for assistance.

'While the Chief Minister's Office only made an inquiry about my present status, the Sambalpur district administration gave me only Rs 8,000. With great difficulties, I managed to arrange Rs 3 lakh. The issue was also raised in the Assembly, but no one came forward to help me,' said Ghadai.

However, complications arose when the baby contracted jaundice and had to be treated for that. 'Initially, the hospital authorities did not agree to treat the baby, but later when I assured them to pay the money, they went ahead,' he said.

He was flabbergasted when the hospital presented him with another bill amounting to Rs 3.98 lakh. Since he failed to arrange the money, the hospital withheld the baby on the plea that her treatment was going on, but hints were dropped that she would be handed over to him only after the he cleared the dues.

Later, Pratap took the help of the media and the RTI activists. When the issue snowballed into a major controversy, the hospital authorities today released the baby.

Vice-president of the private hospital, which is located near Khandagiri Square, Salil Mohanty said: 'We did not keep the baby as hostage. The baby was released after she had recovered from the disease. Our first concern is to treat the patient. Money comes later.'

Mohanty further said: 'As per the medical ethics, I can't release a patient who is unwell. The baby girl was on ventilator. After she recuperated, we discharged her.'

In another development, Odia Yuva Mancha, a voluntary organisation, urged the state government to ensure that private hospitals, which have taken government land at a concessional price, should provide treatment free of cost to the patients.

'Nearly 39 private hospitals and nursing homes have obtained land from the government, but are not providing free treatment to the poor and needy,' said organisation president Rohan Kumar Mohanty.

The RTI activist said he had written to chief minister Naveen Patnaik regarding this.

'Though there is a directive from the government to provide free treatment to 10 per cent of the indoor patients and 25 per cent of outdoor patients, no hospital adheres to it,' said Mohanty.