Surgical instrument will be damaged to get commission; corrupt practice that reduced with Dr Haris Chirakkal taking charge

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Surgical equipment in the medical college's urology department is constantly damaged to collect commissions from companies. In the absence of the doctor, the hospital attendant will perform surgery to shatter urinary stones. This malpractice that used to take place here was somewhat stopped two years ago after Dr Haris Chirakkal took charge as the head of the department.

The matter is being discussed again after allegations were made that the surgical equipment was missing to implicate Dr Haris. Many incidents have been hushed up in high-level arrests.

From the attendant to some doctors, the group that damaged the equipment was involved. Kerala Kaumudi has reported this earlier. Although the criminals who damaged the 'oscilloscope' device for crushing urinary stones were caught several times, no further action was taken. It was also common to cut the equipment wire to collect commission from the company.

It was found in 2023 that some doctors were damaging this device. The hospital superintendent conducted an investigation into the incident and submitted the report to the DME. The report was submitted to the government, but no further action was taken.

Hospital attendant to crush 'stone'

During 2019-2020, there was an attendant who was a trusted confidant of a doctor in the urology department. In the absence of the doctor, it was he who often shattered patients' urinary stones in the operation theater. This was based on what he had learned from working with doctors. If there was a mistake, the doctors would intervene and fix it. He had taken money from patients and pharmaceutical companies for doctors interested in private practice. He was fired when it was discovered that he was the one regularly damaging the equipment. However, there was no investigation or further action. This was to prevent doctors, including those involved, from being implicated.