Nayagarh: A video clip showing a doctor, an attendant and an ASHA activist at the district headquarters hospital (DHH) here taking a bribe of Rs 5000 for performing the delivery of a woman, has gone viral. This has certainly put the DHH authorities in a spot of bother.
Kameswara Achari of Solapata village under Sarankul police limits in Nayagarh district admitted his wife at the DHH here August 27 to give birth.
In the evening, a nurse demanded Rs 5,000 from for carrying out the medical duties, Kameswara alleged. He informed that the nurse told him that the money would be divided between the doctor, an ASHA worker and her. Considering serious condition of his wife, Kameswara gave the amount. His wife later underwent a cesarean following which she delivered a baby girl. The same nurse again approached him and this time asked Rs 200 to get the stitches removed.
Kameswara decided to teach the greedy nurse and others a lesson. He recorded the incident while handing over the money, Monday. Later in the day he made the video viral. The moment the video of the incident spread, the authorities of the DHH came in for severe criticism.
Kameswara has also alleged that the newborn’s condition is not well. He has lodged complaints at the Sarankul Police Station and with the chief district medical officer (CDMO).
When contacted, CDMO Dr Sweta Mahapatra affirmed it that Kameswara has indeed lodged a complaint with her. She said that the video of the Rs 200 bribe incident has been given to her. However, regarding the bribe of Rs 5,000 a probe will be ordered soon, she added.
Around the same time last year, a similar video showing a nurse of the DHH here demanding money from a patient’s relative for the services to be provided had gone viral.
PNN