Ramesh Humagain, a resident of Baneswhor in Kathmandu, says he is in a dilemma. He has been suffering from chest pain for a few days.
He did go to Civil Hospital, also located in Baneshwor, but there was something going on in his mind that prevented him from going past the gate of the hospital. “I realised that I had no way of separating the real doctors from the fake ones,” he says.
“Looking at a famous name, I may feel safe consulting the doctor, but who knows? Even he could be a quack,” he says.
“Looking at a famous name, I may feel safe consulting the doctor, but who knows? Even he could be a quack,” he says.
Humagain is one of the thousands of people in Nepal’s cities, who visit their nearest doctor when they have any ailment. But a recent police crackdown on ‘fake doctors’ has left them puzzled. Dozens of medics, including some reputed ones, including the doctor in-charge of Prime Minister KP Oli’s dental health, have been found to have faked their educational certificates. According to the Central Investigation Bureau, most doctors under scrutiny were found to have submitted fake high school certificates when they applied to medical colleges, both in Nepal and abroad.
Although most of them cleared their medical licence exams, their medical education is invalid as they submitted fake high school certificates, an official at the bureau told Onlinekhabar.
“Even the Prime Minister’s doctor was fake. Let’s not even get to our doctors,” says another Kathmandu resident Ananda Shrestha of Chabahil. “I think it’s the doctors who need examining now,” he says.
According to official figures, one doctor in Nepal, a country of 28 million, has to look after over 5,800 patients
Shrestha and Humagain live in Nepal’s only metropolis, which boasts of the country’s best doctors and hospitals. But there are thousands of Nepalis for whom such facilities are not available. According to official figures, one doctor in Nepal, a country of 28 million, has to look after over 5,800 patients. There are areas where people need to walk for more than a day to get to the nearest doctor.
The bureau, which started its ‘Operation Quack’ six months ago, has already implicated 50 doctors from areas such as Kathmandu, Chitwan and Birgunj.
Basudev Bhattrai, father of a newborn, says he has to frequent to the pediatrician. “I recently found out that a close friend of mine was also a fake doctor,” he said.
“My friend was one of the most hardworking people I have ever met. Even he turned out to be fake,” he said. “Not just him, six other friends of mine have also been implicated.” He says he has no way of confirming who is fake and who is not.
“The doctor I visit these days is senior, and my relatives recommended him to me. I have no option but to believe he is genuine.”
“You can’t just go to a doctor and ask him whether he is real or fake!”
Humagain says although he feels his life is at risk, he has no option. “I know sooner or later I will have to make that trip to the doctor, the chest pain is getting worse.”
