Patient dies, Patiala hospital staff booked for ‘negligence’
Surgeon and staff at a private hospital in Patiala booked for culpable homicide after patient dies allegedly due to negligence during bariatric surgery.
The Patiala police have booked a surgeon and other staff members of a private hospital in Patiala for culpable homicide not amounting to murder after a 48-year-old woman patient died allegedly due to their negligence.
According to information, Jasvir Kaur underwent a bariatric surgery (for obesity) in Prime Hospital on May 22. Her kin were allegedly informed next day that the operation had to be conducted again as the earlier one was “unsuccessful”. On June 3, she was referred to another hospital where she succumbed.
The family cited “negligence” on the part of the surgeon, Dr Rohit Garg, who is part of the Prime Hospital’s management, and others. A medical board of three experts from the Government Rajindra Hospital is said to have conducted the postmortem examination on Wednesday morning. Doctors said they had sent samples for histopathology report at the hospital to ascertain negligence, if any.
It is pertinent to mention that the accused surgeon in this case was found guilty of negligence by an inquiry committee of the health department in 2019 when he had performed a surgery without him being qualified to do the same. Dr Rohit Garg did not respond to repeated calls and messages.
Meanwhile, hospital staff claimed that instead of getting conducted an inquiry by health officials, a case was registered against the doctor and the hospital.
The police said no one has been arrested but an investigation has been initiated. Section 304 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) has been slapped on the accused.
