Srinagar: A private clinic in Srinagar has been accused of misusing a renowned Infertility & IVF specialist’s name while providing consultation to childless couples.
Sheikh Zubair, resident of Kani Kadal Srinagar, has filed a complaint against Apollo Clinic in Karan Nagar at the grievance cell of Lieutenant Governor GC Murmu, narrating the incident of March 15 when he and his wife found at the centre a doctor impersonating Dr Gauri Agarwal, renowned Infertility & IVF specialist.
The complainant alleged that the owner of the clinic had been fleecing gullible couples by using “fake prescriptions” with the name of Dr Gauri Agarwal.
Zubair told Kashmir Reader that the clinic had claimed through a newspaper advertisement that Dr Gauri Agarwal would be available there on March 15 to treat couples facing infertility issues. However, some other doctor was checking the patients instead of Dr Agarwal and using her prescription on that date, Zubair said.
“I and my wife became a little suspicious after interacting with the doctor present inside the clinic. Then I started a background check on Google. I was shocked to find that the person inside the doctor’s chamber was not Dr Gauri Agarwal,” he said.
“It made us upset and put me and my wife in huge distress. Our shock was so intense that we just stood there speechless,” he said.
Zubair, who has also approached Police Station Karan Nagar, said that when he enquired from the clinic administration about the doctor sitting in the doctor’s cabin instead of Dr Gauri Agarwal, they refused to cooperate with him.
“I have filed a police complaint against the clinic, but now I am being put under pressure to withdraw the police complaint. I appeal to the Lieutenant Governor to help us,” Zubair said.
Director of Apollo Clinic, Gazanfar Hameed, acknowledged that Dr Gauri Agarwal did not consult patients at Apollo Clinic on March 15. However, he said, the patients were informed in advance about her absence.
“Dr Gauri was scheduled to attend patients at our clinic but she cancelled the trip due to threat of novel coronavirus as she was not feeling well. So, we arranged another doctor to check on patients,” he said.
Asked why Dr Gauri Agarwal’s name was used in the prescription, Hameed said they had taken the consent from Dr Agarwal.
“There was no other prescription available at our clinic, so we decided to use Dr Gauri’s prescription after due consent from her,” he said.
Meanwhile, the grievance cell of the LG has forwarded Zubair’s complaint to Director Health Services Kashmir for immediate redress.
According to police, the complaint filed with them against Apollo Clinic is under investigation.
“I can’t share more details with you as of now but the matter is under investigation,” said SHO Karan Nagar, Ghulam Muhammad Rather.

Manzoor ul-Hassan