Ethics Fall as Doctors Grab Cash

Article Today, Hyderabad:
Several doctors, despite enjoying high salaries and respectable status in society, are increasingly succumbing to greed. With private practices and hefty government paychecks already at their disposal, some are now treading unethical paths to earn crores through dubious means.

Inspectors Turned Beneficiaries
Dr. Anil Kumar (name changed), a professor at a government medical college in Hyderabad, is among those who have found a lucrative route. He secured a place on the National Medical Commission (NMC) inspection panel and began granting approvals to private medical colleges, allegedly in exchange for bribes. His lifestyle transformed overnight as he accumulated wealth by ignoring regulations.

The Rise of ‘Ghost Faculty’
Another doctor, Dr. Ranganayakulu (name changed), works at a corporate hospital in Hyderabad. Records show him as a professor at a private medical college on the city’s outskirts. However, he rarely visits the institution, acting as a ‘ghost faculty’ member. He appears only during NMC inspections and vanishes otherwise, reflecting a disturbing trend in faculty management.

The Rajani Reddy Case
In a more high-profile case, Dr. Rajani Reddy, former superintendent of Petlaburj Hospital, was part of an NMC team that inspected a private medical college in Chhattisgarh. A recent CBI investigation revealed that some team members accepted bribes to clear approvals. An FIR has also been filed against Dr. Reddy, raising serious questions about the integrity of such inspections.

Medical Seats and the Inspection Process
India has over 780 medical colleges, including 414 government and 289 private institutions, along with 20 AIIMS and 57 deemed universities. These colleges offer more than 1.18 lakh MBBS seats and 74,306 PG seats. NMC inspects PG departments annually and MBBS renewals every three years. With 19 departments in each college, the inspection process is enormous and resource-intensive.

Lobbying for Inspection Panel Positions
Due to the scale and influence of NMC inspections, many professors actively lobby for spots on these panels. Leaders from the Indian Medical Association (IMA) and senior medical faculty push for inclusion. The motive is clear—unregulated approvals often bring in crores in illegal earnings. In some cases, team members even coordinate with NMC insiders and college managements to tip off inspection dates, nullifying surprise checks.

Compromised Inspections
A recent example involves Mahaveer Medical College, which was notified in advance of an inspection. The management made all arrangements accordingly. Following an exposé by Sahanam Vande and Article Today digital papers the inspection was postponed. This incident highlighted how compromised the process has become, allowing colleges to bypass real scrutiny.

Faces of Medical Corruption
Beyond inspections, many doctors misuse their associations and leadership roles in medical bodies to gain political or administrative clout. Some align with pharmaceutical companies, promoting drugs regardless of patient safety. Others, after becoming health officials, fall into corruption traps. A prime example is former Director of Public Health, Dr. Gadala Srinivasa Rao, who faced multiple allegations of corruption and whose lifestyle changed drastically.

Eroding Trust in Healthcare
These developments raise a critical question: When doctors, entrusted with saving lives, choose unethical shortcuts for wealth, who will safeguard public health? The medical profession, once rooted in service, is now at risk of being seen as a marketplace—one where money matters more than medicine. Unless swift reforms are enforced, the very fabric of India’s healthcare system could unravel.