UP doctor makes a 5-year-old boy smoke for treatment; probe underway

A doctor has come under scrutiny after he was allegedly seen advising a boy, brought to him for treatment of a cold, to smoke a cigarette, an official said on Wednesday. Dr Suresh Chandra, posted at the Central Health Centre in Kuthaund, has been transferred, and an inquiry has been ordered against him, Chief Medical Officer Dr Narendra Dev Sharma said.

As it happened, Dr Chandra was captured in a video allegedly asking the boy, seemingly aged around five, to put a cigarette to his mouth. The doctor then lights the cigarette up and asks the boy several times to take a pull on it.

The video made rounds on social media and attracted widespread denunciation in comments.


What action has been taken?
A probe was ordered by the CMO on March 28 into the incident that was allegedly happened the same month.

Sharma said the doctor was transferred to the district headquarters.

A probe has been launched under Additional CMO Dr SD Chaudhary, and a detailed report will be submitted to the state government.

"This kind of incident will not be tolerated in the district. We have issued strict instructions to prevent such occurrences in the future," said Dr Sharma.