Govt Doctor allegedly treated by Unqualified staff on Rajdhani Express, Charged Rs 350 without bill
Doctor-Patient Ratio
Patna: A senior government doctor has raised serious concerns about the quality of medical services available on Indian Railways after she was allegedly treated by a technical staff member during her journey on the New Delhi–Patna Tejas Rajdhani Express.
The doctor, identified as Dr. Divya, head of the ophthalmology department at Bulandshahr District Hospital in Uttar Pradesh. She was en route to Patna on Saturday when she developed gastric issues in the middle of the trip. She promptly called the Indian Railways helpline (139) seeking immediate medical support, reports the Times of India.
Speaking about the incident, Dr. Divya informed that an official with the Prayagraj division of the North Central Railway (NCR) called her back, who informed her that a service fee would be charged for medical intervention. What followed left her alarmed: at Kanpur Central station, a person arrived to assist her, not a certified physician, but a technical staff member with no formal medical qualifications.
Dr. Divya further claimed that although no official receipt for the service was provided, she received a bill for the medication via a messaging app. "Even after repeated persuasion, I was not given a bill for the so-called doctor's visit," she said. The North Central Railway is yet to issue an official statement regarding the matter. However, the episode has sparked debate about the need for strict protocols, accountability, and trained professionals to handle passenger health emergencies onboard trains.
However, at Kanpur Central station that night, she discovered that she was attended by a technical staff member instead of a qualified medical practitioner. She told the Daily, "He administered an antibiotic, despite my symptoms being clearly related to gastric discomfort. When I identified myself as a senior medical professional and questioned the treatment, he remained silent but still insisted I pay Rs 350 for the visit and an additional Rs 32 for the medicines."
She also mentioned that she received a medical bill through an instant messaging app, but no receipt for the consultation fee was provided. "Even after repeated persuasion, I was not given a bill for the so-called doctor's visit," she said. NCR's chief public relations officer, Shashi Kant Tripathi, responded to the allegations on Sunday, saying, "The Railway Board has fixed Rs 100 as a nominal fee in some cases for a doctor's visit to attend to a patient on board. There is no such fee like Rs 350 for a doctor's visit. The railways will inquire into the matter."
