Fighting corruption: hospital extortion

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The New York Times reports on a disturbing practice in Indian hospitals:

Just as the painful ordeal of childbirth finally ended and Nesam Velankanni waited for a nurse to lay her squalling newborn on her chest, the maternity hospital's ritual of extortion began. Before she even glimpsed her baby, she said, a nurse whisked the infant away and an attendant demanded a bribe. If you want to see your child, families are told, the price is $12 for a boy and $7 for a girl.

The article goes on to highlight other forms of petty bribery and how their impact is often overshadowed by the attention given to the bank accounts of corrupt politicians and CEOs.


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