Dr Kafeel Khan

Dr. Kafeel Khan secured all India 30th Rank in medical entrance test. He completed his MBBS & MD (Paediatrics) from KMC, Manipal, Karnataka.

He worked as an Assistant Professor in SIIMS, Gangtok (Sikkim) before getting permanent commission on 08.08.2016 as a lecturer in BRD Medical College, Gorakhpur - Uttar Pradesh.

It later emerged that a large number of deaths occurred after the hospital's oxygen supply was cut on 10 August, during which Khan was present at the scene, over non-payment of dues. Khan was hailed as a hero after media outlets reported that he had spent his money to buy oxygen cylinders after the piped supply had been cut, and worked overtime to remedy the situation.

The BRD college controversy

The Uttar Pradesh (UP) government denied that any deaths had occurred due to oxygen shortage. On 13 August 2017, he was removed as the nodal officer in charge of the encephalitis ward on charges of dereliction of duty and carrying out private practice. An FIR^[ was registered against him and others after a written complaint by DG Medical Education , K. K. Gupta, under IPC sections 409, 308, 120B, 420, Prevention of Corruption Act, Section 8 of the IPC, Section 15 of the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956. On 2 September, Khan was arrested after a court had issued a non-bailable warrant. The resident doctors association of AIIMS condemned his arrest and said he was being made a scapegoat.

While in prison, Khan wrote a 10-page letter, detailing his version of what transpired when the deaths at BRD Hospital occurred due to the oxygen supply being cut. He claimed that he called the head of department, the principal and acting principal of BRD, the district magistrate of Gorakhpur, the chief medical superintendent of Gorakhpur and BRD Medical College, and his other colleagues to inform them of the situation. He said that he also called local oxygen supplier agencies and begged them to immediately arrange for oxygen cylinders at BRD, and called nearby hospitals. He narrated that he went out to buy oxygen cylinders himself. He was able to scrape 250 cylinders together, paying for them himself and promising the suppliers that he would arrange for the rest of the payment soon. He carried some in his car and arranged with the Deputy Inspector General of Police for a truck and manpower from the Armed Border Force to deliver the others. He wrote that his family had been harassed by the police. He also wrote that in an encounter with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the latter had expressed anger at him.

While in prison, Khan's wife alleged that he was denied medical care in prison. Two days after the allegation, on 19 April 2018, the police took him for a medical examination, which had been due a week earlier.

In April 2018, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) released a statement in defence of Khan, saying that he had been framed. The secretary of the IMA blamed the state government officials and demanded a high level probe. Over 200 health professionals and allied activists wrote a letter to Uttar Pradesh chief minister, Yogi Adityanath, demanding justice for Khan, his immediate release and the dropping of “false charges” against him.

On 19 April, while responding to an RTI query, the BRD administration admitted that it was facing shortage of oxygen cylinders on the night of 11 August 2018. It said that around six cylinders were bought from other hospitals and the then nodal officer Khan had arranged four oxygen cylinders on his own.

On 25 April, Khan was released on bail after 9 months of imprisonment. The court ruled that there was no evidence of medical negligence on his part. Khan insisted on calling the incident a massacre and blames the UP administration for it. On being subsequently interviewed, Khan claimed to be made a scapegoat of the Yogi Adityanath Government. Khan also regretted that despite their best collective efforts, he and his team could not save those 70 children from death.

In July 2018, it was reported that Khan had gone bankrupt. Khan said that, "People have stopped doing business with my brothers as they think it might upset Yogi ji. We still have properties worth crores but now we do not have buyers as nobody is willing to do business with my family".

On 13 August 2018, Khan received a death threat on his mobile, on the same day that Delhi riots co-conspirator (as per admission from main accused, Tahir Hussain) and a student activist Umar Khalid, was attacked by an unknown armed mob at an event in constitution club, Delhi Khan was also attending.

Attack on family

On 10 June 2018, Khan's brother, Kashif Jameel, was shot by unidentified assailants who were on motorbikes. He received three bullet wounds on his right upper arm, neck and chin, but survived the attack. This was not the first time he was attacked. In 2014 also some people entered his house and aimed pistol at him. Apparently, he is involved in multiple land disputes. This incident however took place in the Humayunpur North area near JP Hospital, 500 metres from the Gorakhnath Temple, where the UP Chief Minister was staying that night. In the aftermath of the incident, Khan said he had apprehended a murder attempt on his family members. He alleged that the police caused a delay of a few hours in his brother receiving urgent medical care. He further accused Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP from Bansgaon, Kamlesh Paswan and his three associates of carrying out the attacks.

On 24 February 2020, Khan's uncle, a property dealer, was shot dead in Gorakhpur. The Uttar Pradesh Police stated that the death was unconnected to Khan's case and appeared to be in relation to a property dispute.

Accquital

On 27 September 2019, Khan was acquitted of all charges in relation to the 2017 Gorakhpur Hospital deaths. According to the departmental inquiry report, "The allegations against the accused are insufficient... Therefore it is submitted that the accused officer is not guilty".^{[citation needed]}

The departmental inquiry suggested that Khan had, until 2016, engaged in private practice in addition to his work at the hospital, which was alleged to be a violation of service rules. However, no action has been taken against him for the same to date.

The unfortunate & tragic incident of shortage of liquid oxygen at BRD college due to non payment to the vendors , led to death of 63 children and few adults. When Dr. Kafeel raised his voice demanding justice for the deceased, the government made Dr. Kafeel Khan the prime suspect and imprisoned him for twenty months in a span of three years.

His family and team founded "Dr. Kafeel Khan mission smile foundation" and with the help of crowdfunding has conducted more than 200 free medical camps treating more than 75000 kids across the country who still have no access to primary healthcare centers.

With a team of health activists from all over India, He has started a "Health for All" campaign to demand the "Right to Healthcare" legislation.

Has written a book on clinical Paediatrics "Manipal manual of clinical paediatrics" Published by CBS publication.

Presently Dr. Kafeel Khan is still under suspension and cases against him are going on in lower court despite 9 different enquires done by Uttar-Pradesh/Central Government cleared him of any medical negligence/corruption.

Health for all

With a team of health activists from all over India,Dr.Kafeel has started a "Health for All" campaign to demand the "Right to Healthcare" a justifiable right through the enactment of appropriate legislation.

He also states that the government needs to increase it's yearly expenditure on healthcare from 1.5% to 5% of the GDP.

Under this campaign he demands that each citizen of the country should have access to a primary healthcare center within a radius of 5 kilometres, offering adequate treatment and diagnostic services, as rural population still travels to it's nearest metro cities to avail healthcare facilities which puts them under mental & financial stress.

He has launched a new initiative with the help of progressive doctors across India: 'Doctors on Road' to create awareness and treat COVID patients in the rural areas.

DoctorsOnRoad

is an initiative by a group of doctors where they are travelling to rural parts of India where the health infrastructure is completely broken. Patients suffering from Covid19 are given medication, and those with non-covid medical emergencies are given treatment.