Video of orthopaedic supplier allegedly assisting surgeons at Tripura hospital goes viral, probe on

Agartala: Taking cognizance of the viral video showing an orthopaedic implant material supplier allegedly assisting the surgeons in the operation theatre of an Indira Gandhi Memorial (IGM) Hospital, the Tripura health department has sought a detailed report on the matter.

A purported video, which has gone viral on social media, shows the man wearing a surgeon’s apron and helping two orthopaedic surgeons during surgical procedures of patients at the operation theatre of Indira Gandhi Memorial (IGM) Hospital, on January 19.

The IGM Hospital is the second biggest government hospital in Tripura.

“Based on the footage, a four-member committee headed by Joint Director of Health Services, Dr Souvik Debbarma, will probe into the incident thoroughly and submit its findings within a week,” Dr Supriya Mallik, the Director of Health Services, told PTI.

Action will be taken if the incident proves to be true, he said, adding a businessman cannot join the surgical procedures at a government hospital.  

“Jantu Debanth was not present nor helped the orthopaedic surgeons during surgical procedures at the operation theatre,” the medical superintendent of IGM Hospital, Dr Debashri Debbarma, said.    

“We don’t support such an adventurous move by any outsider,” he said.

Medical Dialogues team had earlier reported that Chinese authorities were investigating a 2019 incident where a surgeon allegedly punched an 82-year-old woman thrice in the head during surgery, a video of which caused a furore in local social media. Though the incident occurred in December 2019, it only came to the public's attention this week after a prominent Chinese doctor, Ai Fen, shared CCTV footage of the surgery.