Doctor on emergency duty arrested for being intoxicated after patient dies

Sasaram: In a recent case of alleged medical negligence, an on-duty doctor at the emergency department of Bhabhua Sadar Hospital has been arrested for allegedly being intoxicated during duty hours and failing to attend to a 30-year-old woman patient, which led to her death.

The patient's family accused the doctor of neglecting her due to intoxication and demanded action, leading to a protest. In response, the police conducted a medical test on the doctor, which confirmed the allegations.

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As per a TOI news report, the deceased, a resident of Beur village in Chainpur block, Kaimur district, was brought to the hospital in the evening with severe stomach pain. Despite her critical condition, the doctor who was on duty allegedly ignored her and directed her to a ward on the fourth floor without attending to her.

After taking her to the ward, her family members alleged that neither a paramedical staff nor a doctor came forward to check her condition. They desperately sought help but received none. She reportedly suffered for nearly two hours of pain before ultimately breathing her last.

This resulted in protests by the family members who claimed that the doctor's negligence took the life of their kin who could have been saved otherwise with timely treatment.

Following this, they filed a complaint at the police station against the doctor. Based on the complaint, the police took the doctor for tests and upon confirmation arrested him. Police and civil SDO Bhabhua found the doctor drunk.

A doctor found drunk during duty hours is considered a punishable offence under the law, as it constitutes a serious breach of professional conduct and can potentially endanger patient safety.

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