UK aid should not fund private hospitals in developing countries, says Oxfam

Development charity says patients denied treatment or held hostage until fees paid in private facilities in India and Kenya

Private hospitals in India and Kenya accused of refusing people on low incomes vital healthcare, or holding them hostage until bills have been paid, benefit from UK government investment funds, according to a report by Oxfam.

Investments worth hundreds of millions of pounds by government-backed agencies are used to facilitate the impoverishment and even the imprisonment of the very people [the private hospitals] are supposed to be helping", said the development charity.