Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) [India]: Madhya Pradesh Minister Prahlad Patel has called for a strict investigation and urged that “there should be no politics” following the arrest of a man accused of illegally performing surgeries, allegedly resulting in the deaths of at least seven patients at Mission Hospital in Damoh.
“That institution (missionary hospital) has been controversial since past… This is a serious case and that place has had ongoing controversies and this is why strict investigation should ensue… There should be no politics in the matter, and the focus should be on relieving the victims and punishing the culprits,”
Patel told ANI a day earlier.
Chief Minister Mohan Yadav also addressed the incident on Monday, emphasizing that swift and severe action would be taken.
“In the incident, which came to light in Damoh, our government is taking strict action. Our government does not make any delay in taking action against such cases. Our government has built its own credibility. I have instructed that if there is any other such case, the health department should take strict action against them,”
CM Yadav told reporters.
A First Information Report (FIR) has been registered against a man, identified as N John Camm, who posed as a doctor and allegedly conducted surgeries without proper medical credentials.
One of the victims’ relatives, Jitendra Singh Rajput, recounted his experience, stating:
“My name is Jitendra Singh Rajput. I took my father to the hospital as he was experiencing chest pain. The doctors said it was a heart attack and that he needed to be operated on. I told them I did not have money, and they said the Ayushman card could be used,”
he said.
“He underwent the surgery and when I met him, he told me he wasn’t feeling well….. They said it would be fine. Later, they put him on a ventilator.”
He also shared that no postmortem was conducted:
“The postmortem did not take place because the hospital staff said he had died of a heart attack and there was no need for it… We didn’t file any complaint,”
Jitendra added.
Damoh Superintendent of Police Shrut Kirti Somavanshi confirmed the arrest:
“Accused doctor N John Camm has been arrested from Prayagraj (Uttar Pradesh) by our team. He is being brought to Damoh.”
Earlier, CSP (Damoh) Abhishek Tiwari shared details about the case:
“An FIR has been registered at Kotwali Police Station against the accused, who went by the name of Dr. N. John of Mission Hospital, for fraud and presenting fake documents. We received a report from the CMHO, Health Department, that the accused allegedly performed fake surgeries, including angiography and angioplasty. His medical documents were found to be suspicious, which were examined by a team of doctors. Based on their findings, the FIR was lodged.”
“The doctor was practicing medicine without registration in Madhya Pradesh. Additionally, his registration with Andhra Pradesh was not found on the official website. Several other irregularities came to light, raising further doubts about his medical practice.”