Fake Ayushman Bharat Claims: Patna Hospital accused of unauthorised hysterectomies on six women

Patna: In a recent case of fraud under the Ayushman Bharat scheme, a private hospital in Patna, Bihar, has been accused of performing unauthorised hysterectomies on at least six women, removing their uteruses without consent to fraudulently claim funds. 

According to reports, the women, aged between 30 and 38, were admitted to a private Hospital in the Kankarbagh locality for routine procedures such as hernia or piles treatment. Instead, their uteruses were reportedly surgically removed without their knowledge or consent. Upon returning home, the women noticed that their menstrual cycles had stopped.

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She has consulted several doctors over the last four months and demanded strict punishment against hospital owners and doctors involved in the incident. Another woman who was admitted for piles treatment also reportedly underwent an unauthorised hysterectomy, with similar procedures performed on two other women.

The case came to light after the 35-year-old widow, with the help of her uncle and RTI activist Tribhuvan Prasad Yadav, filed complaints with local authorities.

“The private hospital is run by doctors who are in the Bihar government service. They have devised a system of making money through unnecessary surgeries to claim money under the Ayushman Bharat scheme, without bothering about the life of the patients. They must be punished and jailed,” Tribhuvan told ETV Bharat.

This prompted an official investigation. A three-member medical board was formed, which found that the hospital had misled patients and conducted unnecessary surgeries to claim money under the Ayushman Bharat scheme.

During the investigation, the hospital allegedly tried to cover up its actions by submitting fake medical reports and even falsely claiming that the woman had died. However, she appeared before the panel in person, exposing the falsehood.

Following the findings, the hospital’s registration under Ayushman Bharat has been cancelled. Authorities are also considering further action, including revoking its license to operate.

The Bihar Human Rights Commission has taken suo motu notice of the case and sought reports from senior officials. A hearing is scheduled for June 1.

Tribhuvan has vowed to take the matter to its logical end. “I will write to the National Medical Commission (formerly Medical Council of India) and the state medical council to seek the cancellation of the MBBS and other medical degrees of the doctors involved in this scam. They have no right to practice and play with patients' lives,” he said. “If nothing works, I will move the court. It is for the Central and state governments to investigate whether similar frauds are being committed under the Ayushman Bharat scheme in other private hospitals as well,” Tribhuvan added, reports ETV Bharat.

This is not an isolated incident. Bihar witnessed a massive uterus removal scam in 2012 under the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY), where thousands of poor women were subjected to unnecessary hysterectomies for insurance claims. Estimates suggest that between 16,000 and 50,000 such surgeries may have been conducted during that period.

Despite FIRs against several doctors and hospitals, many accused individuals continue to practice, highlighting a persistent failure in delivering justice.

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