KMC, complainant lock horns

Case of womans death not heard even after a year

Kapali Patne (35) died with her stillborn child in the operation theatre at Santosh Hospital on April 16, 2010. The KMC and the complainant Parikshit Dalal, the husband of Kapali blame each other for the delay in taking up the case.

Initially, the complainant wanted two medical experts (doctors) to fight his case before the KMC, in the place of an advocate. The KMC refused permission saying that only an advocate should represent the complainant. Parikshit approached the High Court against the decision.

The HC allowed the appeal directing the KMC to allow doctors to appear in the case. However, the Council has been insisting representation by only one doctor while the complainant wants two. The hearing has been posted to May 5.

The witnesses to be examined in the case have also become a bone of contention. The complainant wants the ward boy and nurses in the operation theatre to be examined whereas the KMC has ruled out examining other hospital staff except the team of doctors who attended on the patient. More skeletons tumbled out of the cupboard with a little inquiry.

Never registered

Replies to an RTI application disclosed that Dr P Ashok, the anaesthetist at the hospital had never registered with the Council and Dr I M Sherief, chief medical officer had not renewed his KMC registration since 1995. Both continue to work in the hospital.

“The Council seems to be unaware of the provisions in the Indian Medical Council Act to suspend doctors facing inquiry. Unfair and unreasonable time has been given to respondents for filing objections just because they changed their advocate,” Parikshit said. Regulation 8.5 of the IMC Act restrains a physician under scrutiny from practising.
KMC president Dr Chikkananjappa said doctors facing inquiry cannot be suspended as they have not been chargesheeted. He said the complainant was not co-operating in the conduct of the case. “He comes with a new appeal at every hearing,” he said, adding that the case was being conducted in accordance with the KMC Rules.

Kapali was said to have been shifted to OT after administration of anaesthesia. Post mortem conducted at the Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital established the cause of death as serious fractures in the sacroiliac joint (pelvic bone) leading to formation of blood clot weighing 1,500 gm, near the womb.

Adverse reaction

Doctors at Santosh Hospital claimed that Kapali died due to acute anaphylactic reaction, an adverse reaction to general anaesthesia. Five doctors have been accused in the case.