Jajpur, Jun 19 (PTI) A government doctor was suspended in Odisha on Thursday for allegedly asking patients to buy medicines from private outlets, officials said.

The doctor was identified as Hemanta Kumar Maharana, and he was posted at the Dharmasala Community Health Centre in Jajpur district, they said.

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He allegedly asked patients to purchase medicines from private outlets instead of giving them those available at the health centre, they added.

Patients complained about it to Health Secretary Aswathy S, who visited the health centre on Monday following the outbreak of diarrhoea in the area.

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The suspension order was issued by the Health and Family Welfare Department.

Maharana was directed to report to the district headquarters hospital. He was also restricted from leaving the station without prior permission from higher authorities.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)