Two doctors from GT Hospital and four from St George Hospital have been found guilty of negligence that led to the death of 64-year-old Bhiku Tambe after a computed topography (CT) scan on Saturday.
Tambe, a patient of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, was admitted to the St George Hospital on December 4 after he complained of breathlessness. He was taken to the GT Hospital for a CT scan on Saturday, after which he died at the hospital.
According to the investigating committee, giving Tambe Betaloc drug before the procedure could have led to his death.
As a rule, the drug cannot be administered to patients suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) because it could lead to respiratory failure.
The drug is given to reduce the pulse rate. It can be fatal for patients suffering from COPD, because their lungs do not have the capacity to pump an adequate amount of oxygen.
The three-member committee will submit its report to JJ Hospital dean Dr TP Lahane on Friday. The members have recommended stern action against the doctors. “We will decide on the action to be taken after we get the report,” said Lahane.
“Four doctors from the St George Hospital, under whose care Tambe was admitted, failed to perform their duties. Also, the doctors put Tambe’s body on ventilator, even after declaring him dead earlier,” said a doctor from the hospital, on condition of anonymity as he is not authorised to speak to the media.
The committee has recommended strict action against the doctor who performed the CT scan.