Doctor suspension for denial of bed to patient: Doctors' body asks Delhi Medical Council for inquiry

New Delhi: Days after a 47-year-old man died after allegedly being denied admission by four hospitals, the Delhi Medical Association (DMA) on Tuesday said the four doctors facing action in the matter have been made "scapegoats" and the "fault was with the system".

DMA president Dr Ashwini Dalmiya called for a probe by the Delhi Medical Council (DMC) into the matter.

Pramod, 47, who was arrested for allegedly molesting a 21-year-old woman in an inebriated state, died of the injuries he suffered after jumping out of a moving police van on January 3, according to police.

Medical Dialogues team reported that the Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has announced stringent action against four doctors, days after the death of a 47-year-old man, who was allegedly denied treatment at state-run government hospitals.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has approved a health department proposal to take stringent action against four doctors. The proposal has been forwarded to Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena for approval.

In a statement, the DMA said, “No citizen should be denied treatment or access to treatment.” “It will be appropriate for the Lt Governor/Chief Minister/Health Minister/Secretary Health (Delhi) to decide among themselves to take full and collective responsibility of the death rather than hold the doctors responsible,” it said.

Dalmiya said the doctors facing action in the matter have been made “scapegoats” and the “fault is with the system”.

“We seek a probe by the Delhi Medical Council (DMC),” he said.

If the DMC probe finds these doctors responsible, “we will accept it”, he said.

He asked if a doctor should be held responsible if machines are not working or are unavailable in a hospital.

Dalmiya said the DMA will hold a general body meeting on Wednesday and decide if legal recourse should be taken in the matter.

The meeting will be attended by members of the Federation of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA) and other resident doctors’ associations, he said.