Tuesday 15 August 2017

Gorakhpur hospital tragedy: Dr Kafeel Khan no hero?

Dr Kafeel Khan, who until a night ago was being hailed as a hero for saving lives at Gorakhpur's BRD Medical College on August 11-12, now stands accused of stealing oxygen cylinders from the hospital and financial irregularities.

A day after Dr Kafeel Khan made headlines for his dauntless quick response to the disaster that was fast enveloping Gorakhpur's BRD Medical College on August 11-12, reports now suggest that Khan was stealing oxygen cylinders from the hospital for his private clinic.

Nodal Officer of BRD Medical College's Department of Pediatrics, Dr Khan has been removed from all hospital duties after reports emerged that the insufficiency of oxygen cylinders was partially because he was stealthily transporting some to his clinic.

Dr Rajiv Mishra, the principal who was sacked on Saturday, is also believed to have worked in connivance with Khan.

Reports that Dr Khan, Head of the Encephalitis ward, sprung into action when he received a distress call from the hospital on the intervening night of August 12 raised some questions- how could the nodal officer not be aware of dwindling oxygen supply needed for his patients?

Adverts for his clinic are still pasted on the walls of BRD Hospital that read, "Doctor is available from 9am-9pm."



WHAT REPORTS SAY
In addition, Dr Kafeel Khan was also a member of the supplies department- that concerns the stock and storage of medical equipment.

During Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's visit to the medical college on August 9, Dr Kafeel Khan was one of the doctors assisting his review, but according to the staff- neither did he apprise the CM on the erratic supply of oxygen cylinders nor about hospital defaulting on payments.

When the situation spiralled out of control on the night of August 11, Dr Kafeel Khan hurriedly sent three oxygen cylinders from his clinic to the hospital- all the while maintaining that he had 'borrowed' those.

Speaking to other doctors, junior staff at the BRD College, it surfaced that Khan and then principal Dr Rajiv Mishra received a commission on every hospital purchase and handled the deals with oxygen cylinder supplier- Pushpa Sales Pvt Ltd.

Allegations are that Dr Kafeel Khan, in cahoots with former principal of BRD Medical College, Dr Rajiv Mishra and his wife Purnima Shukla, are responsible for the death of 68 patients.

(Source: India Today)

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