Haryana initiates inquiry against 45 medical officers

Deepender Deswal

Hisar, January 24

The state Health Department has initiated an inquiry into complaints against government medical officers (MOs) in various districts on the charges of misbehaviour with patients, referring them to private hospitals and demanding money for issuing medico-legal reports (MLRs).

The office of the Director General of Health Services (DGHS), Panchkula, has written a letter to all civil surgeons to conduct an inquiry into the complaints and submit a report to the head office within two days.

Scam in 2010

A scam of issuing ‘doctored’ MLRs had come to light in 2010. Following the expose, the Hisar police had instituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT), which zeroed in on 100 suspected cases and referred the cases for medical opinion to the PGIMS, Rohtak. Of these, 46 MLRs were suspected to be ‘doctored’. Subsequently, some MOs were indicted and dismissed from service.

The letter has mentioned the names of 45 MOs. While six doctors in Bhiwani, Charkhi Dadri, Hisar, Kaithal, Panchkula and Sonepat are facing inquiry for inappropriate behaviour, 12 have reportedly been referring patients to private hospitals. Among them, three doctors are from Mahendragarh district, two each from Palwal and Charkhi Dadri, and one each from Fatehabad, Ambala, Gurugram, Hisar and Panipat.

Four MOs — two in Palwal district and one each in Jind district and Hathin Community Health Centre — have allegedly been taking money to issue MLRs.

The Health Department had also compiled a list of 23 MOs, whose husband or wife have set up private hospitals in the same town. Jitender Jatasara, an activist, said it was appreciable that the department had taken cognisance of the complaints and initiated a probe.

The acting Civil Surgeon, Dr Sangeeta Abrol, Fatehabad district, where four MOs are facing charges, said she had received the letter today and would take action tomorrow. The letter had also highlighted irregularities and shortcomings at several government hospitals.