Patient’s death: MMC bars doctor from practice for 3 months

The council acted on a complaint of one Balchandra Nalawade,a resident of Nerul in Navi Mumbai who alleged that it was the gross negligence and casual attitude of the doctor who had operated upon his wife Asha Balchandara Nalawade,48,at Shree Hospital in Pune,for obesity that resulted in her death.

The complainant told the council that the surgery was carried out on December 21,2009. After she was discharged on December 25,Asha complained of uneasiness and severe pain in abdomen and was admitted to Jehangir Hospital on December 31 under Patil’s care,the council was informed.

She was discharged again the next day,only to be readmitted to the hospital on January 3,2010. She died the following day,said Nalwade. A committee of medical experts from Pune was appointed to go into the causes of the death of the patient,which submitted its report to the council.

“As far as the surgery is concerned,there is no negligence on part of the RMP. However,the post-operative care that ought to have been taken does not seem to have been proper,” the council noted.

The pathological reports of Blood Urea Nitrogen (25mg/dl) and Serum Creatinine (1.5 mg/dl) from December 21,2009,had tremendously increased upto 186 mg/dl and 8.4 mg/dl,respectively,at Jehangir Hospital and the RMP failed to take notice of it and judge the appearances of suspected leak from the surgery wound and development of septicemia.

The said fact was thoroughly pointed out in the committee report dated March 30,2010. The council members were unanimous in accepting the report of the committee comprising doctors from BJ Medical College and Sassoon General Hospital,Pune.

Further,the council said,Patil failed to refer Asha’s body for postmortem to know the exact cause of death.

The doctor who appeared before the council made a written submission denying the allegations,calling it concocted,imaginary,unreal and fictitious story for accumulating sympathy and pity out of the untimely death of the complainant’s wife.

In their order issued on July 31,MMC president Kishore Taori and Judicial Assessor Sunil Kumar Rathore ordered that the doctor should not carry out any medical practice during the suspension period anywhere and the violation of the order would invite legal action.