Kanpur Hospital Viral Video: Doctor’s Driver Allegedly Prescribes Medicines to Patients at OPD in Doctor’s Absence

Kanpur: Around 2:30 PM on Wednesday, a video of Kanshi Ram Combined Hospital and Trauma Centre went viral. The video showed a man named Dev, seated beside the Doctor’s chair, calling in patients one by one, asking them their symptoms and prescribing medicines accordingly.

The video also showed the patients asking the man whether the prescribed medications were available at the hospital, to which he replied by saying the medicines were not available at the moment and needed to be purchased from outside.

What was unusual about the video was that the man was not a certified medical professional, he was the doctor’s driver. According to the sources, the incident allegedly took place on Monday. After the video went viral, the hospital authorities asked for an explanation from Dr. Ramkesh, the doctor responsible in this case.

Following the events, the Chief Medical Superintendent (CMS) of Kanshiram Hospital, Dr. Piyush Mishra stated that he had learnt about the incident and sought a clarification from Dr. Ramkesh. He said necessary action will be taken if the doctor failed to provide a satisfactory explanation.

Dr. Mishra also warned that going forward if the authority finds an outsider prescribing medicine in the hospital’s outpatient department strict actions will be taken against the responsible doctor. In case a similar case is repeated, FIR will be lodged against the respective doctor and the government will be informed too, he said.

A three-member committee has reportedly been formed, headed by Chief Medical Superintendent Dr. Piyush Mishra, to investigate the incident. The committee is examining:

• whether the driver actually examined patients

• whether he prescribed medicines

• whether this had happened previously

• how he gained access to the OPD

• how many patients he may have attended

• CCTV footage from the doctor's cabin and surrounding areas

India Today reported that the committee was asked to submit its report within three days.

Separately, a police case has been registered against the driver, according to police and media reports. Dr. Piyush Mishra submitted a complaint at Chakeri police station, and police have begun questioning Dr. Ramkesh as part of the investigation.

Dr. Ramkesh, the accused doctor, acknowledged the allegations and told the authorities that the man seen in the viral video was indeed his driver, Dev.

He mentioned, on the day the incident took place, he had gone to court to submit evidence.  

An acquaintance who was a patient was visiting the hospital, following which the driver wrote down the medicines. He had relieved the driver from his duties for acting on his own.

In a later development, police questioned Dr. Ramkesh about the incident. According to India Today, he said he was not aware that the driver had been providing medicines to patients and did not know which medicines had been given. He also said the driver had not previously provided medicines to patients.

(Rh/MF/MSM)