Kazi Syed Ali. (Dibakar Nandi)

Burdwan, April 11: A poor farmer apparently suffering from acidity was forced to scratch around for Rs 50,000 because a government doctor insisted that he needed a pacemaker.

The emergency ward of Burdwan Medical College and Hospital, where Kazi Syed Ali went with pain in the abdomen and chest, had referred him to cardiac surgeon D.P. Sinha, who said he needed the implant without delay.

“I mopped up my savings and borrowed from relatives to raise Rs 40,000. But the doctor insisted on Rs 50,000 and so my wife sold some of her jewellery,” said Syed, 59, who lives in Belut village in Burdwan’s Memari, about 90km from Calcutta.

The pacemaker was implanted on November 22 and he started feeling uneasy in the chest 10 days later.

The doctor told him that a wire needed to be fixed and Rs 5,000 more was required to take the pacemaker out.

“My wife sold her last piece of jewellery and raised the money,” Syed said.

Then the doctor wanted Rs 12,000 to put it back. “I walked out of the hospital,” said Syed.

Kazi then consulted two other doctors, one at Memari and another in Burdwan town. These doctors told him he did not need a pacemaker. “They said I was having the pain because of flatulence and acidity. I’ve taken medicines and am fine,” Syed said.

He now works on his land — about a third of an acre — like before and cycles over 10km every day. “My only problem is an irritation at the area where the surgery for the pacemaker implant was carried out,” Syed said.

He lodged a complaint with hospital superintendent T.K. Ghosh today, days after moving the District Consumer Protection and Welfare Centre. “I have been cheated. I did not have a heart problem,” Syed said.

A committee has been set up to probe the charge.

Cardiac surgeon Sinha said: “The authorities will conduct an inquiry. I’ll accept its verdict.”

Dr S.N. Dutta, who had treated Syed in Burdwan town, said: “He did not need a pacemaker. I treated him for gas and acidity and he is fine.”

The secretary of the district consumer welfare centre, Mohammad Kudrutul Abedin, alleged that a nexus between a section of doctors and pacemaker suppliers was thriving at the medical college and hospital.

“We have met the hospital superintendent and demanded the termination of the doctor’s (Sinha’s) service and compensation for the small farmer. Or else, we will move court.”