Drag a Puff, BAMS doctor makes 5-year-old child smoke cigarette to cure cold

Jalaun: In a disturbing and shocking incident from Uttar Pradesh, a BAMS doctor posted at the Central Health Centre in Kuthaund was caught on camera encouraging and forcing a 5-year-old boy to smoke cigarettes, claiming it would cure his cold and cough. The video quickly went viral on social media, following which the doctor was transferred to the district headquarters as part of his disciplinary action.

The 5-year-old child was brought to the CHC by his parents for treatment of a cold. Shockingly, in their presence, the doctor made the boy smoke a cigarette and even asked his parents to let him smoke as it would clear the cough buildup in his chest.  

The parents, without even questioning the doctor's unconventional and dangerous technique, told the doctor that they live in a remote area where cigarettes are not available, and therefore, they took one cigarette for their child from the doctor at Rs 100.

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Instead of prescribing medication or administering injections, the doctor placed a cigarette in the boy’s mouth and even demonstrated how to smoke it, forcing the child to inhale nicotine. 

In the viral video, the doctor identified as Suresh Chandra was captured allegedly asking the boy to put a cigarette to his mouth. The doctor then lights the cigarette up and asks the boy several times to take a pull on it, report PTI. 

The doctor is heard telling the child, ‘’Ham jala rahe hain....aur kheencho....andar kheenchon yaar’’ (I am lighting the cigarette....drag a puff....drag deeper buddy). Aaj ki training itni hi hai....baki kal sikhayenge’ (today’s training is now over...will teach you the rest tomorrow)."

Shockingly, the doctor even showed him how to puff a cigarette the right way. He inhaled the smoke and asked the body to do the same exactly. The incident has sparked outrage among the medical community and the public, who raised concerns about such doctors practising in the country. It also attracted widespread denunciation in comments. 

According to media reports, the incident happened last month, but it came to light on Wednesday after the video surfaced on social media.

Taking action against the serious act of gross negligence, the state government transferred the doctor to the district headquarters and ordered a probe against him. Additional CMO Dr SD Chaudhary will head the investigation. A detailed report in this connection will be submitted soon to the state government.

Speaking to TOI, Chief Medical Officer of the hospital, Dr Narendra Dev Sharma said, "This kind of incident will not be tolerated in the district. We have issued strict instructions to prevent such occurrences in the future," said Dr Sharma. 

Meanwhile, this is not the first time that the doctor has come under scrutiny. Previously, the doctor was removed from the Kuthaund centre following complaints of misconduct, said CMO Sharma. 

He told HT, “Chandra had already been removed from his post due to a complaint of physical assault. The cigarette video has now also been taken into account. An inquiry has been handed over to the ACMO, and a letter is being sent to the state government recommending strict action against the doctor."

Reaction from netizens

The video shared by a user on the popular social media platform 'X' gained widespread attention and hate from the netizens who called out the doctor for slow poisoning the child to death. 

An X user who commented on the post said, "If a doctor is treating a child's cough with cigarettes, then he is not treating it, but giving a slow poison. Such doctors are not only hurting the dignity of their profession, but also playing with innocent lives. Cigarettes are the root cause of the disease, not its cure."

"Why isn't this person in jail? Also, enlighten us about what kind of doctor he is, also the cameraman too is asking the child to take a drag, he too should be punished," said another user. 

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