Guwahati, Sept. 22: He is a doctor and a teacher, noble professions both, but his actions do not suggest a modicum of nobility.

This assistant professor of surgery (junior) at Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) has no qualms about colluding with a section of clerks to sell false medical certificates for a couple of hundred rupees. The certificates are issued under official letterheads and bear the professor’s seal.

On September 19, around 11 am, this correspondent went to the GMCH outpatient department registration counter and requested one of the clerks there for a medical certificate with the advice: “Rest for two days”.

Without batting an eyelid, the clerk quoted the price. “You will have to pay Rs 300 for that. It works out to Rs 150 per day of medical leave.”

After a little bargaining, the clerk agreed to reduce the price to Rs 250. “You know, there are so many people I have to share the money with. Those who will get a cut include the doctor and other office staff. In the end, I will be left with only Rs 50.”

The entire amount was paid in advance and the deal was sealed. Exactly an hour and 15 minutes later, the document was delivered, ready to be produced before any employer demanding a medical certificate issued by a government hospital.

Apparently unaware of what goes on behind his back, GMCH medical superintendent P.N. Talukdar said the next day that the process of getting a medical certificate involved a “slew of formalities” and was hence time-consuming.

“The GMCH is extra cautious when it comes to issuing medical certificates. Many private practitioners survive only by issuing false medical certificates, for which patients pay between Rs 25 and Rs 50. But we are very particular about preventing such practices. We have introduced several formalities only to ascertain that every case is genuine.”

Talukdar spoke to The Telegraph on the morning of September 20, less than 24 hours after the false medical certificate had been procured from the institution. Explaining the official procedure, the GMCH superintendent said: “To get a medical certificate, a patient has to first get an outpatient department card made for Rs 5. After being examined by a doctor, the patient can apply for a medical certificate on the prescribed format, addressed to the medical superintendent. If the patient is in a critical stage or suffering from a chronic ailment, the medical certificate has to be countersigned by the head of the department concerned or the medical superintendent. The details are then sent to the medical record officer. If a patient has been ill for just one or two days, the doctor who examines the person in the outpatient department can issue a medical certificate after taking into account the case history, clinical findings and diagnosis.”

In reality, one neither had to procure the supposedly mandatory outpatient department card nor go through any of the other cumbersome formalities mentioned by Talukdar.

After sealing the deal with the clerk there for Rs 250, one was simply asked to go to the doctor-professor who would sign the certificate. “The deal is done, but the doctor will ask you some questions about yourself. Answer without fear. Do not lie about anything,” the clerk advised.

On being asked who the doctor was, he temporarily lost his cool. “You have paid only Rs 250 and not Rs 2,500 that you should be asking so many questions. Get your job done and vanish,” he said. Five minutes later, after a briefing by the clerk, the doctor was ready to meet this correspondent. Five questions followed, but these had little to do with one’s medical history. All he wanted to know was one’s bio-data. The last question was: “Your date of birth?”

The chemistry between the doctor and the clerk appeared to be perfect. After one answered the last question, the clerk diligently placed a copy of the medical-certificate format on the doctor’s desk. The doctor filled the gaps and the certificate, dated September 19, was ready (see document).

“This is to certify that Shri/Smti Pranab Kumar Nath, 28 yrs M/H, was treated as an indoor/outdoor patient in SOPD, GMCH of Medical College Hospital, Guwahati from 15/9/2003 to 16/9/2003 and was/is suffering from Acute Appendicitis. He/She was/is advised to take rest for 2 days/weeks/months with effect from 15/9/2003 to 16/9/2003. Now he/she is fit to resume his/her duties from 17/9/2003.”

This correspondent, who also works as a yoga instructor in a reputed school in the city, had actually attended duty on September 15 and 16, and signed the attendance register there. A GMCH official confirmed that nobody by the name Pranab Kumar Nath had been registered in the outpatient department on September 15.

Signing the certificate with a flourish, the doctor told the clerk: “Go upstairs and put the seal.” Ten minutes later, the medical certificate was in this correspondent’s hands.

The clerk, pleased at having completed the job, said: “If you or your friends need something like this again, don’t hesitate...”

To be concluded