Untrained,unwell docs told to do autopsies

The PCMC’s latest move,according to senior doctors,violates Section 174 of CrPC and Civil Medical Code which clearly stipulate that only well-trained,experienced and qualified doctors should carry out autopsies. The state government had recently directed PCMC to relieve three doctors who have been on deputation to the civic body. Accordingly,on September 13,PCMC told Dr Prakash Rokde,Dr Milind Sonwane and Dr Subash Madane to return to state services by September 27.

The three doctors have been with the PCMC for 19 years and have each performed close to 10,000 post-mortems. At YCMH Post-Mortem Centre,every day five post-mortems are carried out,each requiring a minimum of one hour.

The three civic doctors who have been put on the job by PCMC include Dr C V Nirali,Dr R D Pote and Dr A B Balshankar. Nirali and Pote have worked as general practitioners in other civic hospitals,while Dr Balshankar is a gynaecologist,civic body sources said. Pote and Nirale have written to the PCMC commissioner that since they were suffering from heart ailment,they cannot take a stressful job.

Despite all this the three doctors took charge of their new job from last Monday. Civic officials said all three desperately needed training as autopsies involve medico-legal cases. But there is no one to train them. The three outgoing doctors have told the civic body that training in forensic medicine can be conducted only by the appropriate department.

However,PCMC health chief Dr Anil Roy said the new doctors are experienced as they have received training in the early days of their career. PCMC commissioner Shrikar Pardeshi,a doctor himself,said the PCMC has already sent a proposal for absorbing the three doctors in the civic services. “In the absence of any decision from the government,we had to relieve them,” he said.

MLA Laxman Jagtap said he would take up the matter with Health Minister Suresh Shetty on Tuesday. However,the health minister’s office said he would be away till September 29. State Principal Secretary T C Benjamin said he was not aware of the situation but said any MBBS doctor can do autopsies.

Civic officials said PCMC has been cornered to an embarrassing situation where it has to force doctors who don’t know to carry out autopsies. Former corporator Babu Nair said PCMC should not relieve the three state doctors till the new doctors get trained. “Since post-mortem is a sensitive job,PCMC can always request to the state government that it wants experienced doctors,” he said.