MP doctor allegedly intoxicated during emergency duty, sent on administrative leave
Guna: A district hospital in Madhya Pradesh’s Guna district has come under scrutiny after a video allegedly showing an on-duty doctor in an intoxicated condition during emergency duty went viral on social media.
The incident occurred during an emergency duty at night, when an 80-year-old asthma patient was brought to the district hospital by his family for urgent medical attention. The patient’s relatives reported that the doctor on duty appeared disoriented while examining the elderly man and advised hospital admission.
India Today reported that the family alleged that after getting the prescribed medicines, they returned to the emergency area to enquire about the ward where the patient had been shifted. However, the duty doctor was allegedly unable to recall where the patient had been admitted, leading to confusion and distress among the attendants. In the video that later surfaced online, the doctor is seen struggling to answer basic questions and, at one point, mistakenly identifying another individual as the patient.
The patient later expressed shock over the incident and told India Today, “God save us from such a drunk doctor…he had no idea what medicine he was giving”. The patient also alleged that the doctor had not even issued a proper prescription.
Following the circulation of the video, hospital authorities became alert and asked the doctor to leave the premises immediately. The officials stated that no medical test was conducted at the time to confirm intoxication of the doctor. The hospital subsequently placed the doctor on seven days of administrative leave and issued a show-cause notice, seeking a written explanation.
Responding to the allegations, the doctor denied being intoxicated and claimed he was fully aware of the patient’s treatment. However, when questioned by officials, he reportedly misidentified another person as the patient.
Chief Medical and Health Officer (CMHO) Rajkumar Rishishwar acknowledged concerns regarding the doctor’s condition. He told India Today, “The duty doctor’s condition was not good, and he appeared unconscious. A medical officer was sent to advise him to go home.”
He added further that a notice had been issued, and further action would depend on the doctor’s response.
Hospital authorities have stated that the matter will be reviewed after receiving the explanation, and appropriate action will be taken.
