PANJIM, JULY 10
Social activist and renowned medical practitioner Dr Oscar Rebello today created a stir stating that doctors at government hospitals are being pressurized to give false medical certificates.
The issue has raised eyebrows ever since former Tourism Minister Mickky Pacheco was arrested and remanded to judicial custody.
He immediately fell ill and was admitted to the Hospicio Hospital in Margao for being diagnosed of high blood pressure, jaundice and hypertension.
However, the Goa Medical College, where he was referred two days later, said that the legislator does not need any active treatment.
Faking sickness has been one of the problems police face when any high profile leader or a businessmen is arrested and the doctors say there is pressure on them too to sign the false certificates.
“There is tremendous amount of pressure on us to give false certificates,” Dr Rebello told reporters here.
He stated that with the political pressure the doctors cannot deny giving certificates fearing transfers etc.
“Action might be taken even against me too as I speak to you,” the doctor said.
Several leaders including the former ministers Somnath Zuwarkar, Mauvin Godinho, Dayanand Narvekar, Churchill Alemao and Babush Monseratte had to be admitted in the hospital for chest pain soon after they were remanded to custody in the past.
Dr Rebello further stated that to overcome this problem the government needs to set up a medical board, which consists of three or more doctors.
“The board should examine the person and decide whether he needs treatment in hospital or not,” he stated adding “…this will solve the problem to a major extent.”
