Kolkata- city of joy; this phrase is turning ironic with every passing day. It was just a few weeks ago when the city was the burning ground of revolution by the medical fraternity. Millions of doctors across India followed the suit of Kolkata Doctors and boycotted their duty. Many people died for the lack of any treatment. That “revolution” fired up when an old man died and the junior doctor was beaten up badly because of it. I understand that violence is wrong but what happens when an innocent patient is killed due to negligence and greed of the medical institute? Isn’t that a serious cause of concern for the common people? The common people are not stupid or blind, their rage isn’t always the testosterone. Within a few weeks of the so-called revolution, a man is killed because of wrong diagnosis and treatment. And that too in the land of ‘medical revolution’: Kolkata.
This is the story of 61-year-old Businessman, Ashok Diwan, a businessman residing in the New Town area of Kolkata. As a healthy and active businessman, he walked into the pollo Gleneagles Hospital to see Dr. Satyan Singh, to consult about his MRI scan that was done the previous day. He was informed that he is suffering from last stage brain cancer and has a life of only 18 months or so. Treatment was started immediately, and that too without conducting the Biopsy. Dr. Singh was ‘sure’ that his patient has cancer. (Biopsy is the process where tissue is removed from a person’s body and tested in the laboratory to check for any disease, in this case, cancer).
Dr. Tanveer Shahid is another doctor involved, who reconfirmed about cancer and started radiotherapy, Chemotherapy, and steroids for a month, during which time, Mr. Ashok Diwan started developing new problems. Imagine, a totally healthy person ending up in the ICU for 4 months straight, while his condition deteriorated every day.
It is tragic for the family that he lost his life, but the bigger tragedy is that he lost his life for the disease he never had. The hospitals are turning into a money-making industry with each passing minute. After 2.5 months of ‘cancer treatment,’ the Diwan family was informed by neurosurgeon Dr. LN Tripathy of Medica Hospital that Mr. Diwan is not suffering from cancer of any kind and started seeking justice with the help of an NGO-People for better treatment. The Apollo Gleneagles Hospitals had already charged them 30-35 lakhs for this unnecessary treatment.
Mr. Ashok Diwan never had any cancer or tumor in his brain, but still, he was given the strongest cancer treatment and because of which, he developed a deadly skin disease called TEN. From there it was no turning back. Ashok Diwan’s son is also providing proofs which clearly show that the hospital was giving not only the wrong treatment but also contaminated medication.
These are the doctors who were creating a revolution a few weeks ago. Shame on Apollo Gleneagles and all the staffs involved in this medical ‘business’. Where a patient is nothing but an ATM machine.
Imagine the pain that Mr. Diwan must have gone through because of receiving the wrong treatment, all the radiotherapy and chemo must have caused him so much suffering. Plus the damage steroids did to him would have a life long impact even if he were alive. Steroids made his kidneys weak and almost damaged and also would have made him diabetic. Even if he were alive, he would have to go through dialysis for his damaged kidneys and be on medication for entire life.
Where are the justice thirsty doctors now? Don’t you feel bad for the patient who died because of your negligence? Why would you scream now? You have already made money from him. SHAME!!