DOCTOR IS considered as a saviour as he treats while God cures. But how would you react to the news report saying that a doctor treats a patient only after the latter pays a meager amount as bribe? Yes, this is not a fiction, it has taken place in this country that boasts of morals and rich culture.

 

A shame on the doctor and the medical profession, the Madhya Pradesh Lokayukta Police, on Saturday caught a senior government doctor red-handed accepting a bribe of Rs 5000 to treat a cancer patient. The Special Police Establishment of the State Lokayukta arrested Dr. S.K.Pippal, head of department of the ENT unit at the government-run Hamidia Hospital, for demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs. 5000 from the brother of an oral-cancer patient.

 

According to the Hindu, the state department of the Medical education has however initiated  proceedings for the doctor's suspension. 32-year-old Kailash, a resident of Rajgarh distirct, approached the Lokayukta Police, claiming Dr. Pippal had demanded Rs.10000 from him to operate his brother Rames, who was suffering from an advanced stage of oral cancer. Rames was admitted to the Hamidia hospital on 15th  February and in a shocking disclosure, it has been found that the doctor even threatened to discharge Ramesh, if his brother failed to pay the bribe upfront but after negotiations, Dr Pippal settled for Rs 5000.

 

According to the paper, the Lokayukta Police recorded the complainant's telephone conversations with the doctor. Then the trap was laid for the doctor as Lokayukta asked Kailash to meet him at his residence with cash, laced with colour so that they can arrest him red-handed. And everything went according to the plan.

 

In this situation, we suggest that the doctor should be barred from any medical practice for at least five years besides suspending his services with immediate effect.