By Shafeeq Hudawi, Twocircles.net

Kasargod: A Dalit woman in Kasargod district of Kerala has alleged that she was denied treatment by government hospital after she was unable to pay a bribe to the doctors.

Saraswati, 26, a resident of Madhur panchayat, was recommended a surgery from Government General Hospital after she was diagnosed with a prolapsed uterus. Later, she was asked to pay a bribe of Rs 1,000 each to the hospital’s anaesthetist Dr. Venkatagiri KM and gynaecologist Dr. Jyothi. When Saraswati refused to pay, saying she didn’t have the money, the doctors discharged her from the hospital.

Saraswati first consulted the gynaecologist Dr Jyoti, at her private clinic at Pulikkunnu. “The doctor told me that my uterus has slipped down and will have to be surgically removed,” she said. The gynaecologist advised her to check into General Hospital for the surgery.

According to local media reports, she was admitted in the hospital two days ago. “I had carried a tribe certificate with me. But the gynaecologist said the certificate was not enough and asked me to pay bribe to her along with anaesthetist Dr. Venkatagiri,” she alleged.

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She added that he doctor asked her to return when she had money.

The Vigilance and Anti Corruption Bureau confirmed that Dr Venkatagiri has been probed for corruption earlier too. “We did a quick verification and recommended departmental action against him,” VACB officers told to media persons.

Meanwhile, District Medical Officer (DMO) A P Dinesh Kumar has begun a probe into allegation of corruption against the two doctors. The probe was initiated following an order issued by District Collector E Devadasan.

The DMO told media persons that the allegations were serious, and he had informed the higher-ups in the department.

Dr Venkatagiri, who refused the bribe allegations, said the surgery did not take place because the patient did not have her case history with her and did not arrange for blood. “The only person who accompanied her was her little daughter studying in class 8,” he added.

When asked about the allegations of demanding bribe, he said: “I have my private practice like all other government doctors. People think the consulting fee I charge at home is bribe,” he said and added that patients were referred to him by other doctors.