Ramanagara, Sep 09: The free health service that should be available to poor patients at Ramanagara District Hospital in Bengaluru South district has been caught in a web of bribery. The accusation that Dr. Vishwanath R., a doctor in the hospital’s urology department, is sending patients back without performing surgery if they don’t pay, has caused a lot of outrage in the public sector.
Demanding Rs 30,000 each for kidney stone surgery
Dr. Vishwanath, who has been working as the only urologist in this district hospital for the past three years, has been demanding a bribe of Rs 30,000 each from patients coming for kidney stone surgery. The hospital does not have surgical equipment, so he has started collecting money on the pretext that the operation needs to be brought from outside.
Although the Lokayukta SP and health department officials had warned him about his bribery earlier, he continued his racket without paying any attention to the words of the district hospital surgeon and the Lokayukta.
Dr. Vishwanath, a doctor who showed no mercy despite bleeding
A patient named Rangegowda of Kurubarahalli village, who had come for treatment for kidney stone problem, was demanded Rs. 30 thousand. The doctor, who had brought medicines worth Rs. 7 thousand from outside during the surgery, did not pay the amount as asked, so after the surgery, the patient was bleeding from the stomach and did not even bandage it.
He was returned from the operation theater for not paying the bribe
On the other hand, a patient named Lilavati of Jalamangala village was also demanded Rs. 30 thousand. The doctor, who had taken Rs 3,000 from the patient before the treatment, kept him in the operation theatre from 9 am to 1 pm because he did not pay the remaining Rs 30,000, and finally sent him back without performing the surgery.
Public outrage against Dr. Vishwanath
Patients, their relatives and the local public have expressed their anger and outrage against Dr. Vishwanath, who is now playing with the lives of patients for money.