Hyderabad Doctor Suspended for Medical Negligence

A doctor in Hyderabad has been disqualified from practising for three months by the Medical Council of India (MCI) for his role in the death of an Indian diplomat's pregnant wife due negligence.

In March 2003, Indian diplomat K. Srikar Reddy, posted in Germany, lost his wife Srilatha and his unborn baby during labour in a Hyderabad hospital due to medical negligence.

Reddy, working as consul in the Consulate General of India in Munich, first filed a complaint with the Andhra Pradesh Medical Council, which gave a clean chit to anaesthesiologist L. Sudhakar.

"Then I filed an appeal with the Medical Council of India, which conducted some enquiry and found the accused doctor/hospital guilty of negligence. I have received the copies of MCI's decision by fax," Reddy told IANS in a letter from Munich.

The ethics committee of the MCI found Sudhakar, who worked with the Shalini Maternity Hospital, guilty and last week handed him a three months suspension from the medical fraternity.

"Dr. L. Sudhakar is found to be guilty so far as the professional negligence is concerned in the instant case. Taking this into account, the ethics committee of MCI recommends that his name be struck off from the Indian Medical Registry for a period of three months," the MCI ruled.

In a communiqué to Reddy, MCI said the "decision has been duly approved by the executive committee and general body of the council".

The decision means the doctor will lose his eligibility to practice in any government hospital, private hospital or even in individual capacity.

The MCI also told Reddy to appeal to the director of health services (DHS) of Andhra Pradesh for further action to be taken against the maternity home.

"With regard to the deficiencies of the equipment and monitoring of the critically ill patients in the nursing home, the matter may be brought to the notice of DHS for necessary action under the Clinical Establishment Act."

Source-Medindia
SRM/J