October 17, 2008	Friday	Shawwal 17, 1429

KARACHI, Oct 16: The Civil Hospital Karachi administration has not initiated any inquiry into the case of an infant whose right forearm was amputated on Wednesday after severe infection developed allegedly due to the doctors’ negligence.

CHK medical superintendent Dr Saeed Qureshi and the Sindh health minister did not respond to Dawn’s repeated calls regarding the matter.

Rejecting the need for an inquiry, Dr Iqbal Memon, head of the CHK’s Paeds Ward II, however, said: “The department has already carried out an inquiry into the case and there is no need for a fresh inquiry,” adding that the report had been sent to the health minister.

He further said that the allegation of ‘negligence’ by some quarters was baseless and the case had been dealt with the utmost care. “The department has so far spent Rs300,000 on the infant, who was diligently attended to even during the Eid holidays. The case has been blown out of proportion by the media.”

The parents of the infant, Javeria, who is in stable condition and out of the incubator now, said that the administration was now paying more attention to their baby.“I am very delighted to have my baby in my arms for the first time since she arrived here a month ago, though she has lost her forearm,” said Saima, the mother.

The hospital administration, according to the family, has reimbursed only Rs3,000 out of the total Rs20,000 spent by the poor family on account of medicinal expenses and other costs while the matter of ‘negligence’ has not been taken up to the satisfaction of the family, which could lead to some monetary compensation.

When asked about the procedure of registering complaints against any hospital staff for negligence or bad conduct, Dr Shershah Syed, a senior obstetrician, said that such complaints were usually lodged with the hospital medical superintendent, but their numbers were few. “Mostly people consider the mishap as an act of God and do not complain. The few who do, do not know what to do.”

He advocated the patients’ right to lodge an FIR against the doctor whom they “felt had murdered their loved one” but maintained that the police should not abuse their powers and the matter should be thoroughly investigated.

Stressing the need for setting up complaint cells in public sector hospitals, Dr Samrina Hashmi, the Pakistan Medical Association’s (PMA) general-secretary, said that there should be complaint cells in public sector hospitals where people could submit their grievances.

“The PMA also registers such complaints, which are mostly of mild nature. Some NGOs are also playing their part. But none of them have the powers to punish a doctor,” she said, adding that the provincial health department should set up a board consisting of independent experts for investigating complaints against medical staff.

“While every hospital should take steps to ensure efficient justice to the aggrieved party, the health department should form a panel to take up complaints.”

Dr Shershah supported the call for a thorough investigation into Javeria’s case.