Small pox scare turns deadly for Andheri doc

MID-DAY (FEB 2002)

By Skimmy Gupta

Civic authorities have said that strict police action will be taken against an Andheri doctor who spread panic in the city yesterday by claiming he had three patients with full-blown small pox. Dr R K Arya (71), who practises at Raju Nagar, Saki Naka, Andheri (East), might never practise again.

Arya had said in newspaper articles that he had small pox patients. Civic health officials immediately visited the area he practises in to see if the eradicated disease had indeed recurred. They found that one of the three alleged patients had recovered and the other two had chicken pox.

Incredibly, Arya's prescription to them was Crocin and the application of chandan oil with a matchstick to reduce the itching.

Arya said, " I do not exactly know the difference between small pox and chicken pox, but I presumed to a great extent that they were suffering from small pox."

Dr A S Patkar, deputy executive health officer, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), said, "Even at first glance, these were clear cases of chicken pox. We are surprised he spoke so easily about an eradicated disease."

Arya claims to be an ayurvedic vicharak, ayurvedic acharya and ayurvedic ratna and has been practising in the area since 1963. But his clinic is extremely dirty, dusty and foul smelling. The wash basin is black with grime. His seat cover is dirty and torn.

He said, " In the interest of the community, I went public."

Patkar said, " According to Section 421 of the BMC Act, a general practitioner should inform local health authorities first if they encounter any one of 21 specified diseases. Strict action will be taken against Arya along with appropriate police action. He might not be allowed to practise anymore."

Arya is repentant. " I did not know about Section 421. I made a mistake. I should have intimated the local ward officer."

BMC Deputy Executive Health Officer Dr J Thanekar said, " The doctor wanted cheap publicity, but was not aware of the consequences. There are many diseases that appear like small pox, but a doctor should be able to identify them. He has no knowledge either about chicken pox or small pox."

Arya's patients -- Sanjay Pande (36), Karunakar Tripathi (28) and Rajesh Mishra (30) are labourers in a steel factory and live together. They contracted chicken pox on February 17 from a friend, Munna, who is still recovering.

Pande said, "Dr Arya did not tell us to stay away from Munna. Then he clearly said we have small pox. He gave us Crocin and told us to apply chandan oil with a matchstick to reduce the itch."