Raipur : In a deeply distressing incident, the family of a Chhattisgarh Police constable who died during treatment received an automated Ayushman Bharat message 42 days later stating that he had recovered and was returning home.
The deceased constable, 39-year-old Devnarayan Ram, was admitted to the Government Medical College Hospital in Ambikapur, the headquarters of Surguja district, on June 26, 2026. He died during treatment on June 30.
His family subsequently performed his last rites, and the hospital issued his death certificate.
However, on August 6, more than a month after his death, his wife received an automated message on his registered mobile number under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY).
Message Arrives 42 Days After Death
According to his wife Seema Kujur, who herself works as a nurse at a government hospital in Jashpur, the message stated that Devnarayan Ram had recovered and was returning home.
The message reportedly listed June 26 as the admission date and August 6 as the discharge date, suggesting on the face of it that the patient had remained admitted for 42 days.
For the family, which had already lost Ram and completed his funeral, receiving such a message was extremely painful.
In a video message that subsequently circulated on social media, Kujur expressed her anguish and demanded a high-level investigation into the incident.
She questioned how such a major error could occur in the healthcare system and called for strict action against those responsible.
Family Demands Investigation and Accountability
Kujur said that if such an incident could happen to a hospital employee, it raised concerns about what ordinary patients and families—particularly those from economically vulnerable and tribal communities—might experience.
She demanded a detailed investigation and strict action against anyone found responsible.
The family also questioned the reliability of the system used for processing Ayushman claims and argued that safeguards should be strengthened to prevent similar incidents.
Hospital Says No Misuse of Ayushman Card
The hospital administration and health authorities have rejected allegations that the deceased constable’s Ayushman card was misused after his death.
According to officials, the patient was actually admitted only from June 26 to June 30, a period of five days, and the Ayushman scheme was used only for the treatment provided during that period.
The hospital said that after his death, no additional package was blocked against his Ayushman account.
Officials said the misleading message was generated because the hospital’s claim-closing process on the Ayushman portal was delayed.
What Happened to the Ayushman Claim?
According to the hospital’s statement, Ram was treated under the Surgery Department’s ICU between June 26 and June 30.
During his actual hospital stay, packages worth approximately ₹16,700, related to ICU care and blood transfusion, were blocked under the Ayushman Bharat scheme.
The hospital said that no additional package was blocked following his death and that approximately ₹4.74 lakh remained available in his Ayushman card account.
Under the claim process, hospitals are required to upload relevant documents and respond to queries before claims can be closed.
Officials said the data entry operator responsible for monitoring and completing the claim process failed to close the case on time.
As a result, the portal was updated only on August 6, which triggered the automated discharge message.
Data Entry Operator Removed
Surguja District Health Department official Dr Shailendra Gupta said the claim that the Ayushman card had been used for 42 days was incorrect.
He said the amount was deducted only for treatment actually provided during the patient’s five-day hospital stay and that no additional amount was deducted after his death.
Gupta acknowledged that the claim should have been closed promptly and said the data entry operator responsible for the delay had failed to complete the process.
The operator, who was reportedly employed on a daily-wage collector-rate basis, has since been removed from the assignment.
Health Department Expresses Regret
The Surguja health authorities expressed regret over the incident and described it as a serious and sensitive matter.
Officials clarified that the incorrect discharge information on the Ayushman portal did not mean that the deceased patient had actually been treated or admitted for 42 days.
Instead, the delayed closure of the claim triggered the system-generated message containing incorrect discharge information.
The incident has nevertheless raised concerns about the need for stronger verification mechanisms before automated messages related to discharge, referral or death are sent to patients or their registered family members.
State Nodal Agency Asked to Strengthen System
Following the incident, the hospital administration has written to the state nodal agency in Nava Raipur, requesting measures to prevent similar errors.
The hospital has suggested that automated messages regarding a patient’s discharge, referral or death should be generated only after the patient’s actual status has been verified.
The case has highlighted the importance of accurate and timely updating of digital health records, particularly when automated systems communicate sensitive medical information directly to patients and their families.
For the family of Devnarayan Ram, however, the erroneous message has added another painful dimension to an already difficult loss.
