It is high time the Goa Government orders an independent probe into the manner in which patients are being taken for a ride and monetarily fleeced at the treacherous Manipal Hospital in Dona Paula. Health Minister Vishwajit Rane cannot be a mere spectator to all this very sad state of affairs and must crack the whip in public interest.
We need to make people aware so that our friends, neighbors and relatives don’t land up getting their health and wealth screwed up at this dreadful hospital.
Dr Shekhar Salkar has been grossly misusing his position as Head of Goa BJP’s Medical cell to illegally and unethically rake up huge financial benefits for Manipal hospital while also enriching his own pockets.
The inquiry into the misdeeds at Manipal Hospital has to zero in around the main accused Dr. Shekhar Salkar the Cancer quack, who runs the commercial show there, by claiming that he is a qualified oncologist though he is not one. He neither has a degree nor even a diploma in either Oncology or Oncosurgery.
Earlier this month an 81 year old Ribandar widow escaped the jaws of death after the family wisely shifted her to Goa Medical College at Bambolim after three days of languishing in pain at Manipal Hospital. Fortunately, she has now recovered and is keeping well.
At Manipal Hospital the families of the patient are financial stripped naked being lumbered with massive and extremely exorbitant bills. For the family of someone already going through the pain of illness, it is added agony to being financially ripped off with very inflated bills.
Unless you are a Minister or ruling party leader, other patients face the anguish of wrong diagnosis and off beam line of treatment. Manipal Hospital only outstandingly excels in the art of magnified billing.
Manipal hospital seems to be lacking any Code of ethics. A concern for the well-being of the patient is never there, while they merrily go all out to secure and pursue their commercial interests.
Under traditional medical ethics, the guiding principle is ‘do no harm’. When this basic guiding principle is compromised for whatever reason, but even worse when it is for financial reasons, then those in authority have a moral and civic duty to stand with those who have been directly or indirectly affected and say enough is enough and take the necessary action to stamp out these malpractices.
There is abundant documentary evidence to the effect that the politically well-connected Dr Salkar has been unduly interfering and sabotaging the working of Government hospitals as well, only to benefit his Manipal Hospital.
This financial exploitation of patients cannot be allowed to go on unpunished while the long arm of the law must catch up on the misdeeds of a very slimy and unethical Dr. Shekhar Salkar.
Instead of going to this Manipal Hospital, a patient may be well advised to die in peace somewhere else. At least the family’s life savings would not be swallowed by this proven vulture of a hospital. The family will also be saved the financial ordeal and trauma they would have to go through after losing their loved one there.
I say all this with utmost responsibility and having documentary proof to back up all that I have stated. It is therefore imperative that the Government orders an inquiry so that Manipal alias Moneypal Hospital is nailed once and for all. This will save precious lives and of course give crematoriums, cemeteries and Kabristans a break.
