December 14, 2005	Wednesday	Ziqa’ad 11, 1426

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RAWALPINDI, Dec 13: Civil Judge Amjad Iqbal Ranjha on Tuesday directed payment of Rs1.119 million as compensation to the heirs of a deceased patient in a medical negligence suit filed against a lady surgeon of the Cantonment General Hospital (CGH).

“Riaz Bibi was treated negligently by the CGH lady doctor, who left a sponge in her abdomen while performing a caesarean section in 2001,” the court decreed while deciding the writ petition of Lal Zamir, the husband of the patient.

On Tuesday, the court announced its verdict after concluding final arguments by the counsel of both sides.

During the proceedings of the case, the prosecution produced five witnesses namely Dr Waseem from Tayyab Polyclinic, Rawalpindi; Dr Shehnaz from Shehnaz Ultrasound, Rawalpindi; Dr Saeeda Batool Mazher from Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims), Dr Sher Shah Syed from Pakistan Medical Association (PMA), Karachi and Lal Zameer, the plaintiff. Advocate Batish Mahmood Tipu assisted by Nasir Maqsood represented the plaintiff.

This case will prove to be a trend-setter in the history of Pakistan, Mr Tipu said, adding such verdicts would not only create a sense of accountability in the medical service providers but also build confidence of the sufferers.

Riaz Bibi had a caesarean section at the CGH on June 2, 2001 during which the lady surgeon left a sponge in her abdomen, causing a severe infection. Later her condition deteriorated but the doctor did not handle the situation carefully.

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