12
Mar
Patiala (Gurpreet Singh): For families dependent on daily wages, even short hospital stays can erase months of earnings. For Gurtej Singh, a mechanic from Mandoli village in Patiala district, falling seriously ill meant not only lost income but the threat of mounting medical debt. Within days of being admitted to Chaman Hospital Bahadurgarh, his family had already spent nearly Rs. 10,000 on bed charges and medicines. Doctors indicated that total expenses could rise to Rs. 80,000–90,000, an amount far beyond the household’s irregular earnings. With no land or savings to fall back on, borrowing at interest appeared inevitable. Relief came…