MI Khan, TwoCircles.net
Patna: Mohi Yadav, Krishna Kumar and Lakshmi Devi, whose lives tragically ended in recent days, share a grim commonality: they were all victims of ‘Jhola Chaap’ doctors (quacks) in rural Bihar. These unlicensed practitioners, lacking an MBBS degree and proper medical qualifications, run private clinics that prove fatal for those seeking treatment.
Mohi Yadav, a middle-aged Home Guard Jawan, died on September 11 following a surgery for piles at a private clinic in Ghosi block, Jahanabad district. His family blames the negligence of the unlicensed practitioner who operated on him. After Mohi’s death, the fake doctor fled the scene.
“Mohi was suffering from piles pain. He initially consulted a local quack, who then referred him to Jeevan Joyoti Hospital, run by an unlicensed practitioner near Khapura More. Despite paying for the surgery, his condition worsened during the operation. He was rushed to Sadar Hospital in Jahanabad but died shortly after,” recounted Sanjeev Kumar, a close relative of the deceased. The family has lodged a complaint with the local police against the fake doctor and the clinic.
Similarly, Krishna Kumar, a 15-year-old boy, died last week after a gall bladder surgery performed by Ajit Kumar Puri, a fake doctor who allegedly learned the procedure from YouTube videos. Krishna’s father, Chandan Shah, informed the police that the surgery was performed without their consent.
“After severe vomiting, I admitted my son to Ganpati Seva Sadan in Motirajpur Dharambagi Bazaar, Garkha, Saran district. Despite our objections, Puri operated on Krishna. When his condition deteriorated, he arranged an ambulance to take him to a private hospital in Patna, but Krishna died en route. Puri and others abandoned his body,” Shah said.
Puri has been arrested and confessed to the police that he had previously worked as a helper-cum-compounder before becoming a self-proclaimed doctor.
Lakshmi Devi, a resident of Saharsa district, died after receiving an incorrect injection from another fake doctor operating out of a medicine shop in Baryahi Bazaar. Her condition worsened post-injection, and despite being rushed to the Sadar Hospital in Saharsa, she died on the way.
The cases of Mohi Yadav, Krishna Kumar and Lakshmi Devi expose the dire state of healthcare in rural Bihar, where ‘jhola chap’ doctors run hundreds of unauthorised private clinics. The lack of oversight and regulation puts countless lives at risk. Many such cases go unreported as families are often paid off to remain silent.
These fake doctors, often operating from one or two-room setups in rural areas and small towns, exploit the impoverished who cannot afford treatment in urban centers like Patna or Gaya. Some of these fake clinics operate out of more spacious buildings, mimicking reputable establishments.
“I am not an MBBS doctor nor trained at a reputed hospital, but I have been practicing medicine for over 10 years in Phulwari Sharif, on the outskirts of Patna. I see more than 50 patients daily,” said one such practitioner.
Another fake doctor from Makhdumpur in Jahanabad district stated, “I treat common ailments and advise patients with serious conditions to go to hospitals in Gaya or Patna.”
In rural Bihar, where the poor and marginalised are often the victims, the proliferation of fake doctors continues unabated. Health experts highlight that children, pregnant women and the elderly are the most affected by these unqualified practitioners.
For instance, Sunita Devi, a Dalit woman in her mid-30s, has been fighting for her life since her kidneys were allegedly removed during a supposed uterus surgery at a private clinic in Muzaffarpur in September 2022. The local court has sentenced Dr Pawan Kumar, the owner of Subhakant Clinic, to seven years in prison for this malpractice. However, the main accused, Dr RK Singh, remains at large, and the police have been unsuccessful in capturing him.
The Supreme Court had previously criticised the Bihar government for its failure to address the issue of fake pharmacists and doctors. “It is the duty of the Bihar government to ensure that no hospital or pharmacy is run by fake practitioners,” the court stated. Despite this, the Bihar government, under Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, continues to claim improvements in healthcare infrastructure, while the reality on the ground remains starkly different.