Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Even as the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Bhopal, grapples with allegations of inflated medicine prices, it has come to light that as many as six doctors have left the hospital in the past year.

While three of them were from the oncology department, the others who quit were from the paediatric, the orthopaedic, and the neonatology departments.

These are Dr Sachin Bansal (clinical hematologist), Dr Shashank Bansal DM (Medical Oncology), Dr Nilesh Srivastava MCh (Surgical Oncology), Dr Manoj Nagar MS (Orthopaedics), Dr Priya Gogoi MD (Paediatrics), and Dr Mahendra Jain DM (Neonatology).

Only last month, a team from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), inspected the hospital in response to complaints regarding inflated medicine prices. Specifically, concerns were raised about the cost of Gemcitabine injection, which was reportedly purchased at a significantly higher price by AIIMS Bhopal compared to AIIMS Raipur and Delhi.

Dr Sachin Bansal, who was a founding member of the Department of Medical Oncology/Hematology at AIIMS Bhopal, said, “The condition is the worst in the oncologydepartment at AIIMS. The administration does not take our view seriously for improvement.

The oncology department is an important department as the patients need special care. Even medicines are at an inflated rate. We raised these issues multiple times, but to no avail. We continuously sought another blood separator machine, but it has been pending for the past two years. I left when I realised that there was no point in seeking improvement, but ultimately, the patients are suffering.”

Echoing similar sentiments, Dr Neelesh Shrivastava (oncologist) said, “AIIMS should retain the top medical experts. Top doctors are leaving, and it is not good for the institution. It would be best if AIIMS could develop tertiary health care for oncology.”

‘Corporate culture’

Responding to a query on six doctors leaving in the past year, AIIMS director Dr Ajai Singh said, “It’s not (unique to) Bhopal only, even in Delhi, people are leaving. It’s their choice, as the corporate culture is coming to Bhopal.

As far as tertiary health care in the oncology and paediatric departments is concerned, I have already confirmed the same…it is our major thrust.”