Keep MBBS doctor who posed as critical care specialist suspended: Gujarat Medical Council tells NMC

The MBBS doctor, who allegedly claimed to be a 'critical care specialist' falsely, was barred from practice for three years from October 2020 by the State Medical Council. Apart from a false degree, the doctor also allegedly cheated a patient's family by taking around 20 lakh from them.

However, recently NMC, the apex medical body directed the medical council to restore the registration and following this, the council has appealed against the NMC order.

"...on the basis of the allegations and the evidences received in this complaint matter and after duly following the procedure laid under the provisions of the Gujarat Medical Council Act, 1967 with due responsibilities the Council had taken a decision of suspending the medical practitioner in the interest of the safety of the public health at large. So, you are once again requested to review and reconsider the decision taken by the Ethics and Medical Registration Board (EMRB)," read teh letter by GMC dated 07.03.2022 directed to NMC.

The Ahmedabad Hospitals & Nursing Homes Association (AHNA), which had initially lodged the complaint against the doctor, is also planning to write to NMC. If the decision doesn't of restoring the doctor doesn't change, the association might approach the court against NMC, the president of AHNA informed Medical Dialogues.

Also Read:Gujarat Medical Council suspends MBBS doctor for Three years on account of posing as critical care specialist, indulging in malpractice

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that serious allegations were leveled against this doctor who allegedly misused the grave situation of COVID pandemic, by not only providing treatment for which he was not qualified while posing as an intensivist but also extracting money from patients by providing inflated bills.

The matter surfaced first when the complainant, the son of the elderly patient couple, moved the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) and the Gujarat Medical Council against the accused after getting suspicious huge amount paid for the treatment of his parents to a certain entity having no connection with the hospital and receiving no receipts in return.

Taking strong action against the MBBS doctor, who posed as a critical care specialist, the Gujarat Medical Council declared a 3-year-suspension order.

The council in the order had narrated the case and had stated that the doctor had allegedly referred an elderly patient couple declared Covid-19 positive to a Hospital with the submission that the couple was his known and the charges of their treatment would be paid by him and admitted the couple for treatment in the said hospital.

He had paid the charges of their treatment but against the bill he had paid to the hospital, he demanded and received a huge amount with fake bills.

The council had also noted that the doctor had treated the couple for COVID at Hospital and administered an unjustified dose of 1600 mg (grossly contrary to the guidelines) of Tocilizumab injections to a 70-year-old patient.

Initially, the complaint was lodged by Ahmedabad Hospitals & Nursing Homes Association (AHNA) and the AMC. After that, GMC took cognizance of the case and directed AHNA to file a police complaint.

Further, taking an action against the doctor, GMC cancelled the doctor's registration for three years.

Following this, the case was referred to NMC and the apex medical body directed GMC to restore the doctor.

"After due deliberations in the matter, the Board feels that there is no proven negligence in treatment on part of the said Dr Vipul Shantilal Patel in this case...So, EMRB directs the Gujarat Medical Council to restore his registration number in the State Medical Register. Also, as per section 7.20 of the Medical Council of India (Professional Conduct, Etiquette and Ethic Regulations, 2002, a Physician shall not claim to be specialist unless he has a special qualification in that branch. Therefore, Dr. Vipul Shantilal Patel is hereby directed to remove critical care consultant from his visiting card or from any other document and warned to refrain from using the same in future and to take care to share the details of the estimate to concerned parties in writing as a matter of principle in all cases," read teh NMC order dated 14.02.2022.

Now, both the GMC and AHNA are planning to approach the NMC against its decision of restoring the doctor.

Speaking to Medical Dialogues regarding the matter, Dr. Bharat Gadhavi, the president of AHNA said, "The stand of NMC is undoubtedly condemnable. The doctor, who only had an MBBS degree, was claiming himself to be a critical care specialist. Treating a covid patient with a false degree is definitely an offence. Further, he cheated the patient family by taking from them a huge amount- around 20 lakh rupees."

"We condemn the stand of NMC and we are planning to write to the apex body as well. In fact, if the decision does not get changed, we might also approach the court against NMC," he added.

Meanwhile, TOI adds that the concerned doctor has been accused of forging GMC documents for clearing his name and a complaint has been lodged before the city police commissioner.