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MOSCOW (AP) - When Karen Papiyants lost his leg in a road accident last year, his medical nightmare was only beginning.
Although like any Russian he was entitled to free treatment, he says the doctors strongly suggested he pay $4,500 into their St. Petersburg hospital's bank account, or be deprived proper care — and perhaps not even survive.
Faced with that choice, the 37-year-old truck driver's relatives scrambled to scrape together the money. But Papiyants said that didn't stop the nursing staff from leaving him unattended for most of the night and giving him painkillers only after he screamed in agony.
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