DHH doctor accused of sending patients to private hospitals

Puri: Some doctors at the district headquarters hospital (DHH) here are allegedly forcing critically-ill patients to admit themselves into private nursing homes.

Many social activists and human rights activists have claimed that the district administration and the DHH authorities have turned a blind eye to the issue.

Sumitra Mohanty, the wife of Guruprasad Mohanty of Matiapada in the city here, was admitted to the surgery ward of the DHH with appendicitis Thursday. Soon a few middlemen of private nursing homes reached the spot and advised Guruprasad to consult a particular doctor of the DHH, sources said.

The doctor concerned examined Sumitra and advised for an operation to remove her appendix. Besides, the doctor asked Guruprasad to admit Sumitra to a private hospital near Srigundicha temple. He also offered concession in fees for Sumitra’s treatment at the private hospital, sources added.

The doctor allegedly told Guruprasad that the DHH does not have proper infrastructure to treat appendicitis. “Several appendicitis patients are in the queue to get treatment at the DHH. You have to wait for too long,” the doctor informed the Mohanty couple.

A video of the incident went viral on the social media, Thursday.

However, the authorities of the private hospital sought Rs 18,000 to operate upon Sumitra. Expressing his inability to arrange for the money, Guruprasad admitted his wife to another private hospital in the city, sources said.

Meanwhile, some hospital staff claimed that the doctor concerned has been shifting patients to private hospitals since last several days.

“Some doctors of the DHH have good relations with the private nursing homes in the city. They usually advise critically-ill patients to get admitted in private hospitals. The middlemen of some private hospitals and diagnostic centres often loiter at the DHH,” said a DHH staffer.

Expressing concern over the incident, human rights activist Jayanta Dash urged the Chief Minister and the Health Minister to take stern action against the doctor concerned and the chief district medical officer.

“Patients are being shifted to private hospitals at the behest of some doctors at the DHH. A pregnant woman died of medical negligence at a private hospital last year. The district administration has failed to address the issue,” said advocate Prasanna Dash.