India’s medical sector is said to be on the verge of collapse - A message for public awareness and national service.

India’s medical sector is said to be on the verge of collapse soon — even a parliamentary committee has openly acknowledged this.

According to a recent research report published on Zee News, around 44% of all surgeries performed in India are bogus, fake, or unnecessary. 

In other words, nearly half of all surgeries in hospitals are conducted mainly to extract money from patients or government insurance.

The report further classifies that in India, 55% of heart surgeries, 48% of hysterectomies (uterus removals), 47% of cancer surgeries, 48% of knee replacements, 45% of cesarean deliveries, and many shoulder and spine surgeries are fake or unnecessary.

A survey of many reputed hospitals in Maharashtra revealed that senior doctors in large hospitals earn salaries up to ₹1 crore per month. The reason: doctors who push patients into unnecessary tests, treatments, admissions, or surgeries earn more. (BMJ Global Health)

The Times of India has published several cases where dead patients were shown as alive and “treated” to claim money — one of the most disgusting frauds now being exposed across many places.

In one well-known hospital, a 14-year-old boy who had died was kept on a ventilator for a month under the pretense that he was alive and being treated — and only later declared dead. After complaints, the hospital was found guilty and paid ₹5 lakh in settlement. But what about the emotional trauma inflicted on the family?

Many times, fake “emergency surgeries” are conducted on already deceased patients — families are asked to pay urgently, and later told that the patient died during surgery. The hospital then collects the full surgery cost. (Source: “Dissenting Diagnosis” – Dr. Gadre & Shukla)

The medical insurance (mediclaim) fraud is equally horrifying. Around 68% of Indians have medical insurance, but when needed, most claims are denied or only partially paid through manipulations — forcing families to bear huge costs themselves.

Over 3,000 well-known hospitals have been blacklisted by major insurance companies for making false claims. During the COVID period, many big hospitals falsely claimed insurance money for fake COVID cases.

Alongside, a massive and horrifying human organ trafficking network also operates. The Indian Express reported a heart-wrenching 2019 case:

A woman named Sangeeta Kashyap from Kanpur was called to Delhi for a job interview by a reputed company. She was told to undergo a full medical check-up at the renowned Fortis Hospital before hiring. Admitted per procedure, she overheard doctors discussing “donors,” realized something was wrong, and fled. When she told her friend (who had brought her), he threatened her and demanded ₹50,000. After she went to the police, an investigation exposed a multi-crore international organ trafficking racket involving police, doctors, and hospital staff.

Everyone knows about the “Hospital Referral Scam.” Doctors refer patients claiming serious illness to large, branded hospitals like Apollo, Fortis, Apex, etc., often as part of referral programs where hospitals pay doctors per patient sent.

For example, Kokilaben Hospital (Mumbai) once openly advertised payments: ₹1 lakh for sending 40 patients annually, ₹1.5 lakh for 50, and ₹2.5 lakh for 75 patients — whether or not they were actually ill.

Another major fraud is the “Diagnosis Scam.”

Income Tax raids on some reputed pathology labs in Bengaluru uncovered over ₹100 crore in cash and 3.5 kg of gold kept aside as doctor commissions. Doctors refer patients for unnecessary tests, earning 40–50% commissions. Many labs falsify reports after performing only 1–2 real tests. Out of nearly 200,000 labs in India, only about 1,000 are certified — yet the business is highly profitable.

Similarly, pharma companies run their own massive bribery schemes. Around 20–25 big drug firms spend ₹1,000 crore per year on doctors. During COVID, the maker of the painkiller Dolo was exposed for giving ₹1,000 crore in “incentives.” Doctors receive cash, foreign trips, and luxury stays in return for prescribing specific brands. For example, USV Ltd. reportedly offers doctors ₹3 lakh cash and trips to Australia or the U.S.

Pharma companies also sell drugs and surgical tools to hospitals at extremely low prices, but hospitals charge patients full MRP — reaping huge margins. India Today exposed that Emcure’s Temikure (a cancer drug) is sold to hospitals at ₹1,950, but patients are billed ₹18,645. This is common across hospitals. (India Today Hospital Scam Survey Report)

The Medical Council of India (MCI), the apex regulatory body, was found complicit. In 2016, a government-appointed committee reported that MCI eagerly approved new medical colleges but deliberately neglected to regulate doctors and hospitals.

Doctors routinely violate MCI rules without public awareness. Examples include:

1. Doctors must prescribe only generic (salt) names, not branded drugs — rarely followed.

2. Rule 1.8: Doctors must disclose full fees before treatment — often ignored.

3. Patients’ informed consent must be obtained before tests or treatments.

4. Medical records must be preserved for at least three years.

5. Unethical, dishonest, or incompetent doctors should be publicly reported without fear.

6. Government health scheme scams: Patients (e.g., ex-servicemen) are admitted for minor issues, falsely enrolled under government insurance, and billed for fake treatments. These inflated bills are approved by corrupt officials — hospitals pocket the money.

Spread this message to all citizens so that every family can protect themselves from such dangers.

🙏 A message for public awareness and national service. 🙏