QUACK WITH NO DEGREE FOUND TREATING PATIENTS; ABSCONDS

SDM WRITES TO POLICE FOR REGISTRATION OF CASE

Barnala, May 11

In a drive launched against quacks during the pandemic, SDM Barnala Varjeet Walia IAS has unearthed a medical fraud in the city.

An inspection committee formulated by the SDM comprising Deputy Medical Commissioner Dr. Gurminder Kaur and Drug Inspector Sh. Eekant caught a quack treating a serious patient with Covid-19 symptoms in his gastro entomology centre.

Balwant Singh Gill, exhibiting his qualifications as MD, DNB (Gastro), MACG was running Swamy Ji Gastro Entomology Centre in Barnala. He applied for a D type oxygen cylinder with the SDM, the nodal officer for oxygen regulation in the district, which was provided to him on an emergency basis. The next day he again applied for another cylinder, due to which the SDM Barnala got suspicious considering the abnormal requirement of an oxygen cylinder in a gastro entomology centre.

The SDM directed the committee for inspection of Swamy Ji Gastro Entomology Centre. The committee on reaching the centre found out that a patient with serious medical condition was put on an oxygen support. However, the doctor failed to produce his medical degree certificate when asked so.

The committee in its report to the SDM Barnala reported that the condition of the patient was very critical and should be admitted in the ICU facility immediately and not to be treated in a gastro entomology centre. Acting on the report of the committee, the SDM sent the ambulance to Swamy Ji Gastro Entomology Centre for admitting patient in the hospital. However, on reaching the clinic it was found out that the doctor had stopped all his operations at the clinic in the meantime and had its shutters down. On enquiring about his whereabouts, it was known that he was putting up in a rented accommodation with his family and had absconded with them. All contact numbers of the person were found switched off.

The SDM said “An appalling reality has come to the forth in the ongoing Covid pandemic. On one hand there are those unsung medical practitioners, who are leaving no stone unturned in saving lives of people, however on the other are some, who are exploiting the situation to earn hefty profits and dodge the civil administration.”

The SDM has written to the SSP to lodge an FIR in this matter.