The Karnataka health department on Sunday suspended two doctors from the Bidadi community health centre in Ramanagara district for allegedly seeking a bribe to allow the discharge of a new mother from the facility, the state’s health minister said.
Ramanagara district health officer Kantharaju identified the two accused doctors as Dr Shashikala and Dr Aishwarya.
Action was taken against them after a video emerged of them allegedly seeking a bribe from the woman’s husband to allow a discharge.
HT cannot independently verify the veracity of the allegations.
According to health department officials familiar with the matter, the doctors had performed a C-section on Roopa, who is the wife of Manjunath, a garment factory worker, four days ago. The two had demanded ₹6,000 before discharging the wife, said officials.
In the video, Manjunath is seen meeting Dr Shashikala and offering her ₹2,000. “I work in a garment factory and I’m yet to get my salary since it’s the end of the month. This is all I have…please take it.”
However, the doctor refuses to accept it and demands more money. “This has to be given to sir. Please give it to him and leave. When will you give madam’s and my “fees”?…What were you doing all this while? You were here for five days, right?…This is not just for me. I have to divide the money among everyone…You have to give ₹2,000 to me, ₹2,000 to her, and ₹2,000 to him,” Dr Shashikala says in the video.
When Manjunath intervenes and requests Dr Shashikala to take the amount, Dr Aishwarya can be heard saying, “If we agree for you, everyone else in the ward will come to us with the same request. We cannot be partial, right?”
Kantharaju said the two doctors have been suspended and that there will be a departmental inquiry to ascertain who all were demanding money.
Karnataka health minister, Dr K Sudhakar, said, “A departmental inquiry has been ordered against the accused doctor who demanded bribe at the Bidadi Primary Health Center and the accused will be suspended until the report of the investigation is out.”
“It is unfortunate that in our society, where doctors are seen as Gods…the behaviour of some doctors tarnished the image of the entire medical profession and government hospitals,” Sudhakar said.
“Despite the shortcomings of government hospitals, they are still a lifeline for many poor, lower-middle class people in our society. Doctors working in government hospitals should support the patients who come for treatment with service attitude,” he said.
“Such corruption, indiscipline, dereliction of duty will not be tolerated in government hospitals and primary health centers. Doctors and staff who do not have the attitude to provide health services to the public will be dismissed from duty without hesitation,” the health minister said.
