"I just want doctors out there to know about the treatment I received after my accident. I felt it was inhumane," says Dr Ashwini Singh, an MD student in Emergency services at AIIMS Raipur, whose name was recently removed from the college roll, owing to an injury. Though Dr Ashwini thanks AIIMS Raipur profusely for saving his life, the institute's decision to his removal depressed him for about a fortnight, he says.
The student shares his story of endurance. After a few months of admission at AIIMS Raipur, he met with a severe accident in August 2022. "I was hospitalised for 52 days, including 15-18 of ICU treatment," he tells, adding that despite the best efforts from doctors, his right arm had to be amputated. Thereafter, the AIIMS authorities suggested he get a prosthetic arm, following which a decision on his continuation of services as a resident doctor would be discussed by a committee.
In the discussion, which took place in January 2023, Dr Ashwini was told that he would not be able to continue in Emergency, to which he replied that he could serve in other branches. "There are so many options. I suggested Psychiatry, where only communication is required. I needed to talk to patients and prescribe cures. But the administration did not accept my suggestion," he says.
Last month, he was asked to collect his documents, and his name was struck off the college roll. AIIMS Raipur cited that there is no provision for changing branches without writing the required entrance exam. The institute's attitude towards Dr Ashwini has also prompted a letter from the Resident Doctors' Association (RDA) of AIIMS Bhopal, from where Dr Ashwini completed his MBBS.
"We believe that this decision to remove a doctor from the institute on the basis of an injury sustained after joining the course is unfair and unjust...We urge you to consider Dr Ashwini's case sympathetically and hope possible justice be offered to him on humanitarian grounds and help him fulfil his desire to serve the patients of this country," a part of the letter reads.
Dr Ramesh Gadwala, President of RDA, AIIMS Bhopal, stated, "The letter is directed to the AIIMS Raipur administration and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Ashwini is a brilliant student. He was simply told that he couldn't continue his services without providing him with an alternative or a viable solution. He could have been given a teaching post, been appointed as the General Duty Medical Officer, or allowed to continue in any non-clinical branch."
Sharing his anguish on the situation further, Dr Ashwini tells, "I cleared the INI-CET exam for a seat in AIIMS during my internship and the NEET PG exam, both in the first attempt, which is not easy. I am a doctor and it does not make sense to say that I cannot serve people."
The Federation of All Indian Medical Association (FAIMA) has also shown support for Dr Ashwini. "#Injustice This is totally an Injustice to a Doctor whose name was stuck off from college because he met an accident & declared unfit by @AIIMSRaipur admin. Dr Ashwani worked hard to get MBBS seat in @AIIMSBhopal & later MD Seat in @AIIMSRaipur is suffering without his mistake," FAIMA tweeted.
Dr Ashwini mentions he intends to file a case against the institute administration in the Chhattisgarh High Court on April 24, Monday. "I hope for justice in the court," he says.
