Terming 'medical corruption' as the "worst" form of graft in the country, a top functionary of the Punjab Medical Council has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to bring in a strong law with strict implementation to curb the menace.
In a hard hitting open letter to Modi, G S Grewal, President of the Punjab Medical Council, has said primarily there are three types of medical corruption - exorbitantly priced drugs, cuts and commissions to the referring doctors and referring patients for diagnostic tests and medical examinations without the actual need.
Noting that the profession of doctors "no longer" remained noble, Grewal alleged that referring patients for diagnostic tests without any need has given rise to "medical mafia" and politicians have also sided with the erring doctors due to which illegal practices are going on at the cost of the patients.
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"I want to flag for your urgent attention the 'medical corruption' prevailing in the country. While any sort of corruption is disgusting and condemnable, medical corruption is the worst.
"The medical corruption is primarily of three types. Exorbitantly priced drug, cuts and commissions to the referring doctors and referring the patients for diagnostic tests and medical examinations without the actual need," Grewal wrote in his letter to Modi.
He said there is a need to purge the healthcare system to make it easily affordable which is quite possible without harming the genuine and justified interests of the medical fraternity.
"I request you (Modi) to bring in strong law against medical corruption which is the worst form of all the corruption. Only a strong law with strict implementation can act as a strong deterrent against the medical corruption, cheating and fraud.
"Otherwise, desperate and helpless patients will continue to get exploited and fleeced and even dispossessed of their possessions, earnings and savings," he said.
In India, every year three crore people are believed to slip Below the Poverly Line after spending their savings and earning or selling off their assets for medical treatment, which may or may not cure them of their diseases and ailments.
Noting that there is "massive difference" in the actual
price of medicines and the MRP (Maximum Retail Price) mentioned on the packet of drugs, the difference is as much as 500 per cent and at times even more, Grewal said, emphasising the need to regulate drug pricing.
"Only the actual price of the medicine should be mentioned on it and not the MRP. This will make medication affordable," he said, adding, stents and other implants are also "disproportionately priced."
Grewal said a heart stent which is given to the patient for around "Rs 90,000 does not cost more than Rs 20,000".
"There is a nationwide trend by the hospitals paying cuts and commission to the doctors for referring patients. Sometimes the referring doctor or a quack is paid as much as 50 per cent cut of the medical treatment charges of the patient," he said.
"This naturally makes the medical treatment very expensive rather unaffordable for the majority of the population across the country, as the burden eventually is on the patient.
"The doctors are also given cuts and commissions by the drug manufacturers. This is the cause for over medication as also the high price of drugs. And this all comes from the patients' pocket. A corrupt doctor on the payroll of a drug manufacturer does not mind prescribing extra medicines," Grewal said.
He said corruption of referring the patients for diagnostic tests without the actual need has given rise to 'medical mafia' and with easy money earned by unscrupulous doctors and hospitals it becomes very easy for them to bribe their way whenever they are caught.
"We in Punjab Medical Council faced a strong resistance by this mafia. Unfortunately, most of the politicians also sided with the erring doctors and with the result the illegal and unethical practices are going on at the cost of the patients," he said in the letter.
He said the medical corruption is going unnoticed because of "our misplaced and unfailing" faith in the medical fraternity as a doctor is still considered to be like god and the medical profession the noblest one. "I am sorry to say, it is no longer noble," he said.
Grewal said that he has written the open letter after having thoroughly researched and investigated at persona personal level and as the president of the Punjab Medical Council.
Noting that nobody is against doctors earning money, he said the money, however must be earned by legal and justified means, and not by "fleecing, exploiting and cheating" helpless patients.
