Jorhat: Man posing as doctor ran hospital ICU, police detain him

Police in Assam's Jorhat have detained a man accused of posing as a qualified doctor and getting jobs at several healthcare facilities with allegedly false medical credentials.

The man, identified as Ahmed Ali, also known as "Dr Yakub Ali Ahmed", was working as in-charge of the intensive care unit (ICU) at Jorhat City Orthopaedic Hospital when the allegations surfaced, India Today NE reported.

How it came to light

A complaint was filed with police questioning the authenticity of his medical qualifications. Jorhat Police detained him for questioning and began looking into his credentials and work history.

Police said Ahmed Ali had earlier been arrested in Chabua on similar allegations.

Questions for hospitals

The case has raised concerns about how hospitals verify the qualifications of doctors they hire, particularly because he was overseeing an ICU, where critically ill patients are treated.

Several details are still not known:

• how long he worked at the Jorhat hospital
• where else he worked before
• how many patients he may have treated
• whether the hospital checked his qualifications and medical registration before appointing him

Investigators are expected to examine how he got jobs at different facilities and whether there were lapses in checking his credentials. The hospital's response was not included in the report.

How patients can check a doctor

Doctors practising in India must be registered with a state medical council or the National Medical Commission. Patients and hospitals can check a practitioner's registration through the state medical council, such as the Assam Medical Council, or the national medical register maintained by the National Medical Commission.

What's next

The investigation is at an early stage, and the allegations against Ahmed Ali have not been proved in court. Police are expected to look into his earlier case in Chabua as part of the inquiry.