An utterly shocking case of medical negligence leading to termination of an eight-month-old pregnancy at a private hospital in Jammu has exposed the ‘unholy’ nexus between senior consultants serving the Government-run hospitals and private hospitals in Jammu & Kashmir.
Following public outrage by the members of the hapless family hailing from frontier Rajouri district, the private hospital authorities and senior consultant actively launched a ‘cover up’ operation but ended up embroiling themselves in more complexities.So far, one junior doctor and a nursing assistant serving the private hospital located on the by-pass road have been arrested by the Jammu Police after a complaint was lodged with the local Police against the hospital authorities for alleged medical negligence.
However, the senior consultant, Dr Indu Koul, serving as HoD Gynaecology Department SMGS hospital, who advised her to visit the private hospital and was aware of her medical condition, after receiving the wrong treatment did not intervene in time to save the child and ensure safety of the mother.Dr Indu Koul is wife of sitting Chief Vigilance Commissioner and former DGP State Police Kuldeep Khuda.
According to official sources, Stuti Sharma (eight-months pregnant) along with her husband Rakesh Sharma, visited HoD Gynaecology department, SMGS hospital at her private clinic in Channi — Himmat on Thursday evening. The patient travelled all the way from Rajori to seek consultation.After her routine check up, Dr Koul advised her to visit a nearby private hospital JK Medicity to get required treatment and infusion of some protein dose.
On Friday, when the couple reached the hospital, the pregnant lady was escorted inside the operation theatre by the hospital staff on duty and her husband was directed to bring some medicines and other material from an inhouse medical store.Before proceeding to the medical store the couple claimed to have clarified to the nursing staff that they are here to get basic treatment and infusion of fluid and for that entry inside an Operation theatre was not required.
After Rakesh, proceeded to get medicines, the hospital authorities without paying attention to the pleas of the pregnant lady allegedly administered abortion pills to her.At the medical store Rakesh also inquired about the nature of medicines and when he was told that the same are required for carrying out abortion procedure he rushed upstairs but was prevented from entering inside the operation theatre. Inside, his wife was struggling as she was given wrong treatment by the doctors on duty.
After learning about their grave mistake the hospital authorities informed the senior consultant and as per her instructions carried out some other procedure and discharged the patient by assuring her nothing wrong has been committed and the medical procedure has been amended to ensure safety of the child.
After few hours the pregnant lady developed labour pains and she was again rushed to the private hospital where Dr Indu Koul helped her deliver still baby in the late evening.On Saturday, the family staged protest infront of the private hospital and demanded strict action against them. Under pressure the local police swung into action and arrested one junior doctor and a nursing assistant of a private hospital and registered case against them.
The state Health Department is yet to take cognizance of the alleged medical negligence and carry out preliminary investigation in the case. The Management of the JK Medicity was not reachable for comments as one of their family members expired on sunday. The hospital authorities are learnt to have ordered an in-house inquiry to fix the responsibility of the hospital staff on duty.
