MARGAO: A large number of patients and fellow doctors gathered in front of Dr Prakash Audi’s Margao clinic on Tuesday evening, in a show of support for the 77-year-old medical practitioner who was recently accused of molesting a patient.
Many supporters travelled long distances to show their solidarity and alleged that a fake molestation case had been registered against the doctor to extort money from him and his family.
They also protested the manner in which the Police Sub-Inspector (PSI) had ‘mishandled’ the investigation so far and slammed the police for forcing the doctor to close his clinic temporarily.
“I have been visiting the doctor for years and he has been very good to us. We do not believe the allegations. We also find it very suspicious that the complainant went to the doctor at such a late hour, alone. Because of this complaint, we will suffer as Dr Audi was doing yeoman service to the public,” said Delina Pereira, from Benaulim.
Others lamented that patients will be deprived of good medical care. One patient said he knew Dr Audi from his childhood and claimed that the allegations were orchestrated to defame the doctor. They expressed willingness to approach the courts to vouch for Dr Audi’s character.
Activist Andrew Sequeira called for a thorough police probe into the extortion allegations, as in the future, male doctors will get scared of treating female patients.
There were many other patients who spoke about how Dr Audi had been their doctor as well as their parents’ doctors and their children’s doctor, affirming their belief in the septuagenarian.
“Compounding this issue is the disheartening reality that doctors are facing apprehension when treating female patients. This fear stems from concerns that legitimate medical examinations might be misconstrued as molestation. This is a crucial moment to address the larger issue of ensuring a safe environment for medical practitioners and patients alike,” said Dr Pramila Naik.
