Doctor Deceiver
System Conniver
An Alarming Number Of Medical Professionals In J&K Are Cheating And Looting Innocent
Patients. There Is Scant Check By The Govt
Bashir Assad
The growing number of private hospitals and nursing homes in Kashmir valley is a
matter of pride for Kashmir. It is unfortunate that some of these health care institutes
have turned into money minting machines where doctors play with the lives of innocent
patients as if they are non-living objects. Professional ethics and conduct are butchered
in private hospitals for making money at the cost of human lives.
My Bitter Personal Experience
Some days ago, my wife complained of uneasiness in breathing. Initially she was
apprehensive of gastro-intestinal problem. This is because some in her family have a
history of duodenum and stomach problems.
We rushed her to a private nursing home in Magharmal Bagh to consult a reputed
gastroenterologist of the city. After a very casual examination, the so-called renowned
gastroenterologist advised us to consult the cardiologist in the same hospital
immediately.
Hurriedly we deposited the consultation fee for the cardiologist. It was the second fee in
a row. The young doctor advised us to go for ECG, Echo Test and TMT. The hospital
management charges exorbitantly for these tests. Panicked by the advice of the
renowned doctor, I blindly went for the tests of my wife.
Cardiologist Tried To Push My Wife Into Angiography
The cardiologist added to my fears. He said that the tests are not normal and advised us
to go for angiography. We were asked to prepare for angiography in the next couple
days. Meanwhile my wife was put on medicine.
The medicine prescribed by the cardiologist was for maintaining cholesterol level.
Interestingly the cholesterol level of my wife has always been normal. Still we followed
the prescription. In next couple of days my wife developed so much weakness that she
could not walk.
Disturbed by her physical weakness, I called my friend and the renowned cardiologist Dr
A G Ahanger, former Director SKIMS. Next day we went to consult him. After examining
the ECG, Echo and TMT tests conducted at the Magharmal Bagh private hospital, Dr
Ahanger categorically stated that my wife is not suffering from any heart-related
problem. Thank God.
Saved By Dr Ahanger
Known for high professional ethics and conduct, Dr Ahanger calmly told my wife to take
medicine for stress and anxiety. He said that she will be absolutely fine in a few weeks.
Why did the cardiologist at the Magharmal Bagh hospital scare us? Why did he insist
that we should go for high-end clinical tests like angiography? Why did he cause panic to
us that it was likely that my wife had blockage in veins? Why he lie that ECG, Echo and
TMT were not normal?
This is not an isolated case. Panicking the poor patients and scaring them with a dire
diagnosis has become the culture in Kashmir. People are being duped by the community
considered to be the saviours of humanity.
Recently the operation theatre of a private hospital in Srinagar was sealed by the
authorities following the death of two women patients due to alleged negligence of the
doctors there. It is extremely unfortunate that the medical and paramedical staff in
private hospitals have no sympathy, no compassion for the patients. They care only for
heavy profiteering for the management. They work with a well-thought out design to
earn through any and every means.
The Con Over Surgical Kits
There is a pattern witnessed in almost all private hospitals. When a patient is taken for
surgery, the attendants are asked to purchase the surgical kits from the counters of the
in-house medical shops. The list is always long and exhaustive. The same material is sent
back from the theaters to these shops. This way a single item is sold to the patients
multiple times. This is not a mere allegation. It has been established several times.
Of late, the government has taken cognizance of some reports of medical negligence in
private hospitals. The government has decided to have a regulating authority which
shall monitor the functioning of these hospitals. Such a regulatory authority is the need
of the hour. Private hospitals continue to risk the lives of the people for monetary
benefits.
The Uterus Remover In South Kashmir
The truth is that the greed and lust for money has blinded one and all in this chain. In
Bijbehara, South Kashmir, there is a popular joke. It is said that among the older women
in Bijbehara, Srigufwara, Sallar and Pahalgam tehsils, only some have their uterus intact.
This is because the local surgeon never misses a chance to remove the uterus of the
women who visit him for medical checkup.
This is the reality that we live with, today. Doctors no longer think about the patients.
They extract money from the pockets of poor patients by hook or by crook.
Jammu division is no exception. There too doctors are minting money like anything. In
February this year, I consulted a doctor at Panama Chowk. The doctor advised
colonoscopy though it was not required.
No Regulatory Authority For Private Hospitals
The overcrowded government hospitals and the poor infrastructural facilities have been
the reasons why patients turn to private hospitals. Private hospitals charge the patients
as they please. There is no mechanism in place to decide and determine the scale of
charges.
Every private hospital, every nursing home has its own set of rules. The motive is always
profiteering – to mint money from the public. Private hospitals refuse to provide the
details to the government regarding the doctors practicing there.
It is good that a hospital should engage specialists from outside. Within the country and
globally, hospitals bring in specialists from outside. The problem is that the hospitals
here are not transparent about the professional competence of the doctors engaged by
them. The risk to patients increases manifold because the professional records of these
outside doctors is known to none barring the private hospital management.
The government has once again directed the private hospitals to provide the list of
outside doctors, failing which necessary action could be initiated against the
management.
Health Department Hand In Glove
There are more than 60 private nursing homes in Kashmir. Only 44 of them are
registered with the Department of Health Services, Kashmir. There is classical
understanding between the Health Department and the private nursing homes. Almost
all the nursing homes in Kashmir perform surgeries. It is mandatory for them to have
their own blood banks, which is not the case. Only one or two private nursing homes
have this facility. Other nursing homes refer the patients to the tertiary government
hospitals when the patients develop post surgical complications, which may be caused
by loss of blood.
