Who Says the Doctors are Clean?

 

Fourth episode of Satyamev Jayate was indeed the best as it exposed corruption in the medical field. I feel this was the best episode because it was a disease perpetrated by the ones responsible for prevention and cure and had over a period, engulfed every Indian. While this community put up a face saving act of defending themselves and even went to the extent of seeking an apology from Amir Khan, let me narrate what happened with us recently as a proof of how these rouges operate.

My mother aged 68 was found to be having a tumor in the left breast in 2009. A biopsy was done at Nagpur before she was shifted to Bangalore for further treatment. The biopsy report was not conclusive and hence a retest of the tissue was conducted and once again the report came out to be inconclusive. Finally, the samples were taken to India’s best known onco-pathologist at Mumbai who concluded that the tumor is in the verge of turning malignant. Finally, keeping in mind the age of the patient the oncologist suggested mastectomy (removal of the breast mass) as a preventive measure. The surgery was done successfully and she was on follow up surveillance thereafter. The doctors did not see the need for radiation and chemotherapy as the surgery was more of a preventive measure.

In 2011, as part of the annual checkup, she was referred for a mammogram to a private clinic at Nagpur. Unfortunately, I could not stay with her for the procedure and she was all alone. The doctor, an oncologist himself, after examining her and her old reports and after ascertaining that my mother has a comprehensive mediclaim policy sowed the seed of fear in her mind about the possibility of cancer reoccurring. He was critical of the previous treatment and suggested her to go for some very expensive injections. He even suggested that since injection alone will not be allowed by the insurance company, he will admit her under a dummy diagnosis and administer the injection which can then be claimed through the mediclaim. He scared her so much that my mother called me right from the clinic to inform me that she is getting hospitalized. I rushed to the hospital to check the matter but by then the doctor was in the Operation Theater. He had kept the tissue blocks with himself stating that he will carry them to the US for further diagnosis and realizing that I am coming to meet him, he suggested her to discuss the matter at home and come the next week.

For nearly a week the entire family was in a state of utter confusion and fear. Finally, the oncologist who had treated her initially was consulted again and a second opinion was taken from a renowned oncologist at Apollo, Chennai. They ruled out the need for any injection and it was then that we learnt that the injection would have cost Rs 2,00,000/-. Finally, the doctors from Bangalore and Chennai had to give him a call to justify their treatment and urged him to return the tissue blocks.

God save this nation!!!