TALOQAN (Pajhwok): Some private hospitals in northern Takhar province have started deceiving common people by advertising the names of famous specialist physicians as if they are working in these hospitals while in reality they are not present.
Local residents complained the names of these physicians were written on the posters of the private hospital while in reality they are not working in the hospital and even not present in the province.
Paiman Hamdar, the resident of Taloqan City, said people were in bad economic condition, they transfer the sick family members with difficulty and a long distance to reach a hospital but private hospitals have certain tricks to deceive common people.
“The names of experienced and professional doctors are written on the boards and plaques of some private hospitals, but when patients visit, they sadly find that the doctor whose name is written on the hospital plaque is not present and another person is examining and prescribing patients using his name,” he said
Hamdard termed the situation terrible and said physicians are not available but their names are written on the signboard meant that they are involved in business not in service of the masses. He urged public health authorities to take immediate action against such practices.
Sabahuddin, another Taloqan resident who has a patient, said it is summer and more people, including children and elders get sick adding that the none-availability of specialist doctors caused disturbance to them.
He alleged doctors in some private hospital are unable to determine the cause of illness and just written medicines which cost the patient.
He claimed: “From the past six months, I have been visiting some physicians in one of the private hospitals but I have not been able to see the doctor whose name is written on the signboard outside, but another person using the name of specialist doctor are available.”
He also asked relevant authorities to address the issue.
Civil Society Activist Asadullah Taimour said doctors have responsibility to serve the people but unfortunately some doctors deceived the masses and preferred their business instead of serving humanity.
He also said the signboards of some private hospitals including the names of specialist and renowned doctors but in reality these individuals were not present to serve the patients.
Responsible persons from private hospital were not available to comment on the disuse despite several contact established by Pajhwok Afghan News reporter.
But a well-placed source at one of the private hospital acknowledged to Pajhwok Afghan News that some physicians are not present in Takhar to serve people in private hospital but their names still existed on the signboards, these physicians are in Kabul or in foreign countries.
The source named some doctors such as Dr. Farid Perzada, Dr. Qayoum Sadad, Dr. Paktash, Dr. Ghafori, Dr. Engila Azemi, Dr. Sabour Sabir who are not residing in Takar but their names were still available on the signboards.
Pajhwok Afghan News was also unable to establish contact with these physicians.
But Dr. Shafiullah Ayan, a health affairs expert, said the absence of doctors whose names are available on signboards was a huge challenge in the province.
He said this led to the trust defecate between doctors and patients and created several problems for the patients.
He suggested physicians not physically available in a hospital should remove their names from the signboard or poster of that hospital so that their names are not used to deceive masses.
Atiqullah Qanit, deputy head of the Public Health Department, said complaints regarding the nominal presence of specialist doctors received to them and pledge strict legal action against private hospital that deceive common people.
He said the absence of a doctor from a hospital for a short time or temporally was not a serious problem adding that permanent absence of a physician will be monitor by the Public Health Monitoring Committee and will be questioned.
‘Specialist physicians’ presence nominal in Takhar hospitals’
