Govt takes note of boy’s death at private medical centre in Katlang

PESHAWAR: The government on Thursday took notice of the death of a child during tonsillectomy surgery at a private medical centre and sealed the operation theatre and so-called intensive care unit (ICU) of the hospital in Katlang in Mardan district.

The parents of six-year-old healthy boy, Haris Khan, and local people of Katlang raised the issue on social media when the child died during the tonsillectomy surgery at the Rasheed Medical and Surgical Hospital, Katlang.

Health Secretary Syed Imtiaz Hussain Shah and Chief Executive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Healthcare Commission Dr Maqsood Ali Khan took notice of the incident and ordered an immediate inquiry into the death of the boy.

Assistant Commissioner Katlang subdivision, Kamran Khan along with Inspector KPHCC Mardan, Farhan Wadood visited the Rasheed Medical and Surgical Hospital as part of the investigation.

According to an official report issued by KPHCC, the officials found during the inquiry that the operation was done on Sehat Card by Dr Tahir, an ENT surgeon, assisted by qualified paramedics of the hospital.

The procedure was done successfully but the patient’s saturation was dropping and not stable after the surgery.

During the interrogation, they found that the ICU was non-functional at the time of the surgery due to poor maintenance of equipment.

The patient was referred to the nearby public sector Category D Hospital, Katlang for ICU support but doctors there said he had expired before reaching the hospital.

*Keeping in view the violation of KPHCC Act 2015, rules and regulations and terms and conditions of KPHCC Registration, the operation theatre and ICU of the hospital were sealed and the case has been taken for detailed investigation for further proceedings and necessary actions,” KPHCC chief executive said in a statement.

It was learnt that the district administration has decided to seal the hospital till a detailed inquiry is conducted. Also, parents of the child lodged FIR against the owner of the private medical centre at the Katlang Police Station.

There are widespread complaints that the government had registered ill-equipped private medical and surgical hospitals in the province for Sehat Card facility in which people can go and get free services.

Some of the hospitals don’t have even the basic health services but they are registered for the Sehat card facility due to reasons best known to the authorities concerned.

Also, it has been reported several times that most of the private hospitals recommend unnecessary surgeries to patients for making money.

The role of KPHCC is also under question as it has badly failed to check the health facilities in the peripheries.