Two doctors suspended for preparing false medical report of rape victim
Kathmandu, October 11
Nepal Medical Council, a regulatory body of the country’s medical doctors, has suspended two doctors on charges of preparing a false medical report of a 12-year-old girl of Dhanusa district, who was raped on August 24 by 23-year old neighbour Karan Mandal.
Dr Rambha Goit and Dr Vijay Kumar Singh of Janakpur Zonal Hospital were found guilty of preparing the misleading report, according to the NMC, which could have paved the way for the suspect to go scot-free.
The duo had examined the victim on August 25. Their report stated that the girl’s hymen was intact and there was no wound to prove that she had been raped. Unconvinced by the findings, the parents, with the support of police, on September 10 visited Siraha District Public Health Office to reconfirm the test result. The result of the second test, performed by Dr Rakesh Kumar Singh, contradicted with the first one.
The report of the zonal hospital said that vulva, vagina and hymen of the victim were normal contrary to the report of the district hospital, which spoke of ‘bite mark in the cheek, ruptured hymen and congested vagina’.
The Office of District Attorney, Dhanusa, the Office of Attorney General and the Ministry of Home Affairs then asked NMC to investigate the case. NMC had formed a high-level investigation committee under Dr Kalu Singh Khatri. The committee comprised three other doctors, including Dr Harihar Wosti, a forensic expert, and Pushkar Raj Nepal, an under-secretary at the health ministry.
The report released by NMC today said, “It has been established that Dr Singh and Dr Goit did not abide by basic medical ethics and practices. So the medical license of the duo will be suspended. They won’t be allowed to practice medicine henceforth until another decision is made.” The two-third members of the NMC working committee can suspend doctors.
NMC Spokesperson Dr Krishna Adhikari said the suspended doctors could not practice medicine for a minimum of two years, albeit appeal to revise the decision can be made at the court or at NMC.
