Abhishek’s medical camp: Bengal health minister to brief CM, panel probing leg-loss complaint

Kolkata, Jul 13 (PTI) West Bengal Health Minister Sharadwat Mukhopadhyay said on Monday that his department would share with a probe panel and Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari information received on a patient's complaint of losing a leg after a “botched treatment” for knee pain at Sebaashray medical camp, an outreach initiative of TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee. Mukhopadhyay’s comments followed his meeting with Soumyadip Biswas, son of the alleged victim, Malati Biswas, at Swasthya Bhawan, the state health department headquarters in Salt Lake, after he responded to the minister's summons and appeared with documents related to the case. “An investigation committee has already been formed. Based on the information we received today, the probe can now be started once he submits an official complaint to us. We will pass on all information to the chief minister who doubles up as the home minister of the state. The police will automatically know the details of the case once we inform the CM,” the minister said. “Our job is to uncover the facts and hand them over to the investigators. The police are not technically equipped to figure out the nuances of a prescription, the signature on it, whether the medical practitioner has the requisite practice license or if the medicines prescribed are correct. Swasthya Bhavan will aid the police in conducting its probe,” he explained. Earlier, while addressing the alleged irregularities at Sebaashray camps in Diamond Harbour, Mukhopadhyay launched a scathing attack on Abhishek Banerjee, the local MP. The minister said he received complaints of unqualified individuals operating the camps, subpar quality of medicines provided and allegations of young medical students forced into participating in the camps. Alleging that “those who treated there are not doctors”, Mukhopadhyay warned that legal action would be taken against those responsible. An FIR was registered at the Rabindranagar Police Station against Abhishek Banerjee and several others after Prabir Biswas, husband of the alleged victim, from Maheshtala in South 24 Parganas district, complained on July 9 that she lost her leg due to "medical negligence" at one such health camp in her area. According to the complaint, Biswas, prodded by a former local TMC councillor, had attended the health camp on February 8 with a complaint of chronic knee pain on account of osteoarthritis and was prescribed some medicines, allegedly by a medical examiner who did not reveal his full name or medical registration number on his prescription, which she had started taking. However, her condition deteriorated, forcing her to approach a second Sebaashray camp. The patient alleged that doctors in the second camp demanded a large sum of money for treatment and referred her to a government hospital after she declined to pay. Biswas was referred to MR Bangur government hospital and subsequently admitted to the state-run Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital on March 19, where she underwent a total knee replacement surgery on April 25. Following the development of an acute post-operative vascular complication in her right leg, an above-knee amputation had to be performed on May 27, the patient’s husband alleged in the police complaint. “Why were such camps required, if not to conduct a drama? To use them to benefit in electoral politics and as a political trump card. The people of Bengal paid the price for his electoral gains,” Mukhopadhyay said in apparent reference to Abhishek Banerjee. “Such camps (on private initiative) seem to have never been organised in the history of India. We are yet to fathom the extent of damage they have caused. The more we receive such complaints, the clearer the picture will get,” the minister added. Mukhopadhyay said that the patient’s relatives have demanded justice and that the family has already spent about Rs 2 lakh for treatment. “I will help them to apply for compensation from the chief minister’s relief fund. The prosthetic limb has already been arranged. We will also arrange for her physiotherapy. The state health department will stand by the patient to the fullest possible extent,” he said. Mukhopadhyay said he was aware that many doctors from the state government’s service pool were also involved in the Sebaashray camps, but admitted that the department did not have the list of names yet. “I appeal to all to come forward and supply us with the list,” he said. Following his meeting with the minister, Soumyadip said he has handed over the documents to the health department required to substantiate his case. “I want the government to adequately punish those involved, especially the fake doctors, in the Sebaashray camps. I also expect that the state would arrange for adequate assistance and compensation for the permanent disability that my mother had to suffer,” he said. PTI SMY NN