Govt. Doctor suspended without inquiry for lapse in treatment & “wrong injection”. Postmortem report confirmed serious Intra Cranial Hemorrhage
A doctor was suspended without enquiry for a Media person’s death in Casualty. Media alleged the doctor gave a “wrong injection” which caused the death. The actual cause of death turns out to be massive ICH. The incident took place at the General Hospital, Thiruvananthapuram.
Yesterday a cameraman of a prominent newspaper in Kerala was brought to the causality due to onset of seizures. He was managed with general protocols for an acute seizure management. Adequate care was given, the CMO examined patient completely and suggested a Neurology consultation.
As part of the acute care – injection Eptoin was given to the patient. Unfortunately the patient collapsed and soon died. The relatives alleged that Doctor has given a wrong injection and there as lapse in treatment. The cameraman’s colleagues started arguing and staged a dharna at the hospital. Local politicians and media channels started sensationalizing the issue in just one hour. The hospital superintendent Dr M P Sindhu clearly stated that the patient was suffering from epileptic seizure and the hospital staff did all that they could do to save him.
The government succumbed to pressure from the media and immediately suspended the doctor without any enquiry ! Today the post mortem showed a Intra Cranial Hemorrhage – which itself can have upto 50% mortality even when treated. The doctors at the hospital meanwhile are on strike to oppose the unwarranted suspension of the doctor without a thorough investigation.
Indian Medical Association, Kerala, should demand an apology from the government for hasty action against the doctor by way of suspension in the absence of any evidence or indication whatsoever. It should also demand an apology from the media for staging a dharna at the hospital.
In addition, the doctor concerned would be within his rights to initiate defamation proceedings against the concerned news channel / media , asking for a compensation of Rs. 50 lakh or so.
–M C Gupta, MD, LLM, Advocate
The indian med assn shud sue the media group the protestors and also file a case in womans and human rights commision
This time they should be made to pay for it as a deterrent to others