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This encounter between a city economy and a subsistence economy presents more serious problems than simply laundry: many families are close to starving while in the hospitals. They use what little money they have to get to the city, and then the hospital charges medical fees and bed fees and procedure fees. For every extra day they stay in the city they must buy themselves food and other necessities. For a large percentage of the population these expenditures are beyond their financial means—and basic food, much less advanced medical care, becomes an issue.
