Punjab Human Rights Panel recommends action against 2 doctors in hospital death case

Sangur: The Punjab State Human Rights Commission (PSHRC) has called for strict departmental action against two doctors at Sangrur Civil Hospital, accusing them of being 'casual and negligent' in the treatment of a road accident victim who later died.

The doctors have been accused of ignoring crucial symptoms of injuries and failing to properly diagnose the deceased's injuries, which reportedly could have saved him. The father of the deceased raised serious concerns about the treatment his son received. He alleged that the doctor's negligent approach led to his son’s death.

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According to a media report in TOI, the deceased, identified as Gurpreet Singh, a resident of Sangrur, met with an accident on October 26, 2022. He was first taken to Dhuri Civil Hospital for treatment. The next day, he was referred to Sangrur Civil Hospital, where he passed away on October 27.

While previous inquiries by medical boards did not find evidence of gross negligence, the PSHRC launched its own probe under the leadership of Chairperson Justice Sant Parkash. The commission's registrar led the inquiry and found that the two doctors handled the case in a "casual and negligent" manner.

While the commission did not hold the doctors criminally negligent, it found the medical conduct and examination severely lacking. As a result, it recommended disciplinary action, directing the Punjab health department secretary to initiate departmental action against the two doctors.

"The explanation that the patient did not complain of chest pain is hardly satisfactory. In cases of trauma, it is the primary duty of a medical officer to thoroughly assess for both visible and hidden injuries," said the commission.

Medical Dialogues recently reported that a 6-year-old girl suffering from fever died hours after receiving an injection from a homoeopathic doctor who was practising as an allopathic practitioner for a decade and administered treatments without proper knowledge at his clinic.

Despite not having the required license, he had reportedly been administering injections and IV drips to his patients. The doctor who is not certified to conduct allopathic treatments is reported to have been practising for over a decade.

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