Inquiry body recommends removal of two doctors, one paramedic

Karachi

An inquiry committee comprising senior doctors of the National Institute of Child Health (NICH) has recommended the removal of two doctors and a paramedic from service for their negligence that resulted in the death of a four-year-old child.

Moreover, show-cause notices and disciplinary action has also been suggested against a nurse and an anaesthetist for inadequate post-operative care to the patient.

Four-year old child, Mujtaba, son of Imran, died at the NICH emergency ward on May 21. He had had surgery but his condition deteriorated afterwards and he was brought to the emergency ward for further treatment. However, no doctor or paramedic was available to provide treatment to the child, parents alleged, eventually resulting in his death.

Following the death of the child, the NICH administration had constituted an inquiry committee comprising Dr Khalid Mahmood, Dr Nasir Saleem and Dr Arshad Domki to investigate the matter, after recording statements of the medical and paramedical staff, the committee recommended removal of two doctors and paramedics from service and disciplinary action against two others.

Besides, NICH director Dr Jamal Raza also wrote to the father of the deceased child and apologised for the unfortunate loss. He informed the grieving parent that a doctor of the surgical ward and a paramedical staff from the emergency ward had been sacked for negligence while disciplinary action had been initiated against two others.

The deputy director NICH Arshad Domki told The News that on findings of the inquiry committee, the Director NICH had recommended to the health department to remove Dr Pooja, Dr Maria and paramedic Ahmar from service.

Earlier, he said, the NICH administration suspended three postgraduate trainees, two nurses and two paramedics but the inquiry revealed that the child’s death was actually caused due to negligence of two doctors and a paramedic. Once nurse and an anaesthetist were also found negligent and were being disciplined.

Domki said recommendations of the committee would be forwarded to the Sindh health secretary for implementation and it was highly likely that the impugned doctors and staff will be removed from service.

He said parents of the deceased child can also approach the authorities for legal action against the doctors and paramedics.