IMA Bengal to summon former Apollo CEO over allegations

The Bengal chapter of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) will summon Dr Rupali Basu, former CEO of Apollo Gleneagles Hospitals, Eastern region, over allegations that she pressurised doctors at the hospital to buy garments from her boutique.

National president of IMA, Dr K K Agarwal, who held a meeting with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Nabanna on Monday, directed the state secretary of the body, Dr Santanu Sen to look into the matter.

It has been alleged that she used to "force doctors to buy expensive garments from her boutique". After being told about the allegations levelled against Basu, Dr Agarwal gave directions to the body's wing in the state to deal with the matter.

Dr Sen said that a report will be prepared on the basis of her statement, which will be verified after speaking to other doctors involved in the row. Dr Basu had resigned from her post after allegations of medical negligence and overcharging a patient were brought against the private hospital.

Dr Agarwal had a discussion with the Chief Minister in connection with the West Bengal Clinical Establishments (Registration, Regulation and Transparency) Act, 2017 that was introduced recently to check medical negligence, overcharging of patients and harassment of patients' family members.

Dr Agarwal said that the meeting was satisfactory. "We also came to know during the discussion that the Commission, which came into existence to look into the grievances of patients and their family members, had passed a resolution on March 22 stating that one has to go to the grievance redressal cell first if the complaint is against a private hospital. They then have to go to the state medical council if the complaint is against any individual doctor. The complaint will go to the Commission if the matter isn't solved either at the grievance redressal cell or the state medical council," he said.