Liver Doc on Railways viral CPR video: TTE 'stole a kiss from the passenger without his consent'

Dr Cyriac Abby Philips aka the Liver Doc and (right) screengrab from the video shared by the Railways that shows a 70-year-old passenger getting CPR from a TTE.

Social media influencer and liver specialist from Kerala, Dr Cyriac Abby Philips, popularly known as the Liver Doc, has hit out at the Railways for promoting the wrong way of performing CPR after a video of a travelling ticket examiner's (TTE) attempts to conduct the live-saving procedure on an elderly passenger went viral. The clip also showed the TTE performing mouth-to-mouth breathing on the man who was visibly conscious and responsive.

The Railways has received severe backlash on social media after doctors pointed out that CPR should never be performed on patients who are conscious. Several medical practitioners, including Dr Philips, also highlighted the chest compressions being done by the TTE on the 70-year-old were also incorrect. The incident had happened in the general coach of Amrapali Express which runs from Amritsar in Punjab to Katihar Junction station in Bihar.

Our dedicated Indian Railways team. pic.twitter.com/BDIEnHTEns
Ashwini Vaishnaw (@AshwiniVaishnaw) November 24, 2024

"This video is ALL SORTS OF WRONG," Dr Philips wrote on X. "The railway person is harming the patient. His chest compressions are wrong, crude and he is impairing the chances of spontaneous breathing and increasing the risk of rib fractures and chest trauma.... Also, he stole a kiss from the passenger without his consent, in the name of 'treatment'. He should be booked for criminal offence."

He also urged the Railway ministry to delete the video and avoid spreading misinformation. Addressing Railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, the Liver Doc wrote, "It is imperative that you delete this post of yours. It showcases your lack of medical science literacy, and the utter lack of basic health literacy of the Railways team currently working under you. At least ask your PR team to take advice from a doctor or some medical health professional (non-Ayush) before you post something as idiotic as this."

In a separate post addressed to the minister, the doctor added that CPR should not be given to someone who is conscious. "Your railway employee was giving CPR to a conscious patient and that too, in the wrong manner. The patient was not unconscious to begin with. He was fully conscious and looking at his torturer. And worse, the railway employee lip-locked the patient when fully conscious for a supposed mouth-to-mouth resuscitation effort, when the patient was awake and conversing," Dr Philips added.

Meanwhile, activist Dr Vishnu Rajgadia (@VishnuRajgadia) announced that he has filed an RTI request over the incident, enquiring the TTE's medical training and details of the investigation of the incident by the Railways.

The ministry is yet to react to the backlash.