The Delhi Medical Council has done what the ministry of health & family welfare (MH&FW) failed to do for more than a year: It has handed down a three-month suspension of medical degree to a senior doctor of Safdarjung hospital for "fraudulent practices unbecoming of a government doctor."
The doctor, Dr Naval Bhatia, was senior specialist (Orthopaedics) in Safdarjang Hospital.
Why was he given this exemplary punishment? For undertaking "unauthorised" foreign visits, and then misrepresenting facts, according to the Delhi Medical Council. Dr Bhatia applied for leave for two days, July 6 and 7 in 2012, saying that he had to go to Nathdwara. But that was a lie. What he actually did was, he took a flight to Hong Kong to attend an arthroplasty conference.
Dr Bhatia's tour expenses including flight ticket and lodging and boarding, were paid for by M/s Stryker India, a company which manufactures implants. The right thing was he should have sought a "no-objection" from the government, which is mandatory for a doctor in a government hospital.
To evade that rule, Dr Bhatia assumed the identity of a consultant of Primus hospital, thus misrepresenting facts, leaving him open to the charge of impersonation. The issue was brought to the of the Delhi Medical Council a few months ago. The decision to suspend his licence was taken at a stormy meeting on Wednesday, November 12.
At the meeting, a group of senior DMC members backed by some political bigwigs tried to dilute the issue and protect the erring doctor. It is these people who managed to keep the quantum of punishment to three months. In a similar cases, the Medical council of India has suspended licences of erring doctors for not less than three years.
Also, though the issue was brought to the notice of MOH&FW more than a year back, but no action was taken against Dr Bhatia because of a politician from Bihar, who has an acting background. The matter was referred to the ministry by the Central Vigilance Commission. In fact, even his transfer from Safdarjung Hospital on the very same grounds was stricken off under political pressure.
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