Medical fraternity condemns his sacking, says he was made scapegoat, blames politicians for Gorakhpur tragedy.
Kumar Anshuman in Gorakhpur
A day after the Yogi Adityanath government of Uttar Pradesh sacked Dr Kafeel Khan, the nodal officer of the pediatric department at Gorakhpur’s BRD Medical College, in connection with the death of over 60 children, the medical fraternity has thrown its weight behind him.
The Resident Doctors Association of AIIMS, Delhi, released a letter condemning the sacking of Khan on Monday.
“Doctors are being made scapegoats,” said association president Dr Harjit Singh Bhatti.
“By blaming doctors for the death of children, politicians are hiding their incompetence. Who is responsible if oxygen, gloves, equipment are not available?”
Along with dereliction of duty, Khan has been accused of doing private practice on the side.
The UP government has accused him of running a children’s hospital, Medispring Hospital and Research Centre in Gorakhpur. He was allegedly diverting oxygen cylinders, meant for the government hospital, to his private clinic.
However, there are also reports in favour of the senior medical officer. They say Khan had sprung into action after receiving a distress call from the hospital on the night of 10 August and saved many young lives.
It has been reported that Khan used his personal car to arrange oxygen cylinders for the young patients after supply to the hospital was stopped by a private agency due to a payment dispute.
On Sunday, he was sacked and an inquiry ordered into his conduct on the night of 10 August, when the oxygen supply fell.
“I can only say that that night I did whatever I thought was necessary as a doctor and as a human being,” Khan told ThePrint over phone.
“There is an ongoing inquiry and I can’t say anything about it,” he said when asked about the allegations of wrongdoing against him.
Great pity that even at a time of such a humbling human tragedy, we cannot overcome petty prejudice. Had his name been Dr Krishna Kanhaiya, he would have been feted as a hero.