Activists of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) staged a demonstration inside the office of the superintendent of the Women and Child Hospital at Kottaparamba here on Thursday demanding the suspension of a gynaecologist who allegedly insisted on a bribe from a patient for conducting a surgery.
District Medical Officer Uma Maheswari Thankachi assured the protesters led by DYFI district president P.A. Mohammed Riyas that she would conduct an inquiry into the allegation and take appropriate action.
Earlier, the patient, Usha, hailing from Marad village, lodged a complaint with hospital superintendent C.P. Mohanan that gynaecologist K. Haridas, who joined duty at the hospital a week ago, demanded a bribe of Rs.10,000 for her uterine fibroids operation.
She alleged that the gynaecologist told her that the surgery could not be performed free of cost at the hospital and asked her to give Rs.10,000 of which Rs.3,000 was for the anaesthetist taking part in the operation procedures. The patient was asked to deliver the amount at his house.
But Usha told him that she would settle the amount after getting admitted to the hospital. But the gynaecologist declined her suggestion. It was then she asked the doctor to refer her case to another gynaecologist. He also refused to accept this suggestion, she said
The superintendent said he would inquire into the complaint.
The gynaecologist has gone on leave.
