The death of more than 30 children due to lack of oxygen at a medical college Gorakhpur has shocked the country. While the news has grabbed national attention it reveals a serious crisis in the UP state health department. News18 India carried out an expose revealing the deep rooted corruption in the state’s medical system.
Under its special investigation – Operation Mrityudata, News18 India’s undercover team contacted two top officials of the Uttar Pradesh Medical Department who revealed how top medical officials are involved in corrupt practices. The channel reached out to Dr. Sanjay Khattri of King George’s Medical University, Lucknow who divulged dirty secrets of various medical colleges in the state. He revealed a multi-crore scam in the sale and purchase of medicines at hospitals in which even top officials like CMO and CMS are involved. He claimed that the medicines purchased by medical colleges are sourced locally from a store for a commission. Dr. Khatri said that the purchase of medicines is also only on documents, but in reality, the medicines never reach the hospitals. He also revealed how poor patients are not only prescribed expensive medicines but are also forced to purchase them from local stores as the hospitals do not carry those medicines. The doctors receive commissions for such medicines from the local stores then.
In a big reveal, Dr. Khattri claimed that the fire incident which took place on 15th July in the trauma centre of KGMU was arson by some officials to wipe the evidence of a big scam regarding the AC plant.
The next official that the channel contacted was Dr. O.P. Shah, Additional Director of the State Health Department, posted in Mirzapur. On the spy cam, Dr. Shah divulged how most government doctors have private practices. He had sent a list of 19 such doctors to the UP government two months ago but did not get a response. Dr. Shah revealed the existence of a fixed price amounting to almost Rs. 55 lakhs in big cities to obtain the post of CMO in the state. He also told the channel’s team that almost all purchases – ambulances, machines & medicines are riddled with bribery and corruption in the state health department.