Fake medical report scam busted in Malda, unnecessary surgery halted

A surgery was being prepared based on a fake report. The Swasthya Sathi card was also used for the surgery, but the district surveillance team’s intervention led to the exposure of a gang involved in extorting money under the guise of medical services. The Malda district administration is set to take strict action against those involved in this incident.

Allegedly, a five-year-old girl from the Bhutni area of Manikchak was experiencing abdominal pain. Her parents took her to a local doctor. It is alleged that the doctor advised them to get a USG (ultrasound) done at a specific center. However, instead of going to that center, the family got the USG done at a nursing home in Malda city. Although the report was accurate, the doctor refused to accept it and insisted on getting the test done again at the same center he had recommended.

According to the patient’s family, after getting the test done at that center, the report stated that the child had appendicitis, as the doctor had mentioned. The girl was then admitted to a nursing home in Kaliachak. Some issues arose when attempting to use the Swasthya Sathi card for admission. This is when the fraud came to light.

As soon as a claim was made for the surgery under Swasthya Sathi, the district surveillance team conducted a raid at the nursing home. Another USG was performed, which revealed that there was no issue with the appendix. Eventually, the child was admitted to Malda Medical College and Hospital, where experienced doctors conducted multiple tests on her.