Pune sees 192 Medical negligence cases in 5 years, Highest in 2023: Report

Pune: Altogether 192 cases of alleged medical negligence have been reported in Pune district over the last five years, according to official data from the district-level expert committee of Sassoon General Hospital (SGH) and BJ Medical College (BJMC).

The committee responsible for investigating such cases, confirmed that between 2020 and April 2025, the expert committee found negligence in 192 cases. So far this year, seven cases have been reported, and negligence has been confirmed in three of them.

The year 2023 saw the highest number of such cases, with 54 incidents reported in Pune alone. In 2024, there were 50 cases, including 46 from Pune and four from nearby districts - two from Satara, one from Ahmednagar and one from Sangli.

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Despite the growing number of alleged medical negligence complaints, the committee highlighted significant delays in the inquiry process as it confirmed that as many as 112 cases are pending, pressing the need for expediting the investigations.

It has been reported that the committees are formed based on a 2010 Government Resolution. Since 2020, 87 such committees have been formed to look into these complaints of alleged medical negligence in the district.

Dr Yallapa Jadhav, medical superintendent, SGH, told HT, "The committees are formed and probes are conducted in the alleged complaints of medical negligence as per the state government to Government Resolution (GR) issued in 2010. The district-level committee is constituted to look into allegations of medical negligence against doctors prior to the registration of an FIR. The action by Cops or other authorities is taken based on the report given by the committee."

According to a medical journal published by Dr DY Patil Vidyapeeth in 2024, medical negligence litigations witnessed a 400% surge in recent years. Punjab, West Bengal, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu lead in states with medical negligence litigation, accounting for 24%, 17%, 16%, and 11%, respectively.

However, according to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), between 2017 and 2022, over 1000 criminal cases were registered against doctors for causing death due to alleged negligence. This rise in litigations can be attributed to heightened public awareness of patient rights and the CPA, prompting patients to seek legal remedies for perceived losses or injuries. This trend adds complexity to the legal challenges confronting healthcare professionals.

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