Gandhi Hospital doctors in the dock over puja for patients

​Hyderabad: Doctors, who are considered as gods-in-white coats by people, seem to have lost faith in science and are looking up to a supernatural power to be blessed with invincibility. This impression will inevitably take hold if a doctor makes public display of their superstition.

The case in point is ‘mirtyunjaya homam’ (a ritual of making an offering to the fire) conducted by the Head of the Department, Gynaecology, at the famed Gandhi Hospital, Dr Anupama. Of course, she did not perform the ritual for her own good.

But she did so for the sake of pregnant women and newborn babies in the hospital. Minister for Health C Laxman Reddy, however, ordered an inquiry into the incident. The Minister told The Hans India that he had ordered an inquiry by the Director of Medical Education, Dr K Ramesh Reddy.

He made it clear that what was done by Dr Anupama was not the government programme. “We do not support such things,” he said.

However, the doctor told the media that she had performed the ritual for the well-being of pregnant women. It cannot be dubbed as superstitious. Even the ISRO had time and again offered prayers before the launch of satellite, she said. Dr Anupama asserted that she had taken permission from the Superintendent. She said with the introduction of KCR Kits, the numbers of institutional deliveries had been increasing.

“Doctors are offering prayers togod before performingsurgeries that their efforts should bear fruit. We invited the Superintendent also, but he did not come, whileRMO participated in the ‘homam,’” she added. When asked, Dr Shravan, Superintendent, Gandhi Hospital, said the ‘homam’ was not conducted officially.

He said the doctors had even celebrated Bathukamma on the hospital premises. However, he added that a five-member committee would go into the matter and submit a report to the Health Minister, he said.