The lives of the poor are more important than the employment of doctors, the Bombay high court’s Aurangabad bench has ruled while rejecting a doctor’s review petition for his reinstatement after dismissal over dereliction of duty that allegedly caused an 11-year-old boy’s death in 2010.
A bench of Justices TV Nalawade and Mangesh Patil on Monday dismissed Dnyaneshwar Borade’s review petition saying there was no arguable case for reviewing the earlier order upholding his dismissal.
Borade was a doctor on duty at Shirdi’s Saibaba Hospital in June 2009 when the boy was brought to the charitable facility for treatment for snakebite. He transferred the boy to Sainath Hospital without administering an anti-venom injection. Sainath Hospital refused to admit the boy and sent him back, prompting Borade to refer him to a private hospital at Loni. But the child died on the way.
Borade was dismissed from service in December 2010 after an inquiry. The court upheld his removal in January 2015. He approached the court last year seeking a review, primarily on the ground that he was acquitted of causing death by negligence in January 2019.
In its order on Monday, the bench observed government-run and charitable hospitals are basically meant for the poor. “[But] these days, the approach of some doctors working in the government hospitals and Trust hospitals is such that they do not care for the life of poor persons,” it added. The bench said such negligent doctors “cannot be spared as the life of poor persons is more important than the service of such persons.” Unless a firm stand is taken by their employers and also by the court, the conduct of the doctors will not improve, it added.
{{/usCountry}}In its order on Monday, the bench observed government-run and charitable hospitals are basically meant for the poor. “[But] these days, the approach of some doctors working in the government hospitals and Trust hospitals is such that they do not care for the life of poor persons,” it added. The bench said such negligent doctors “cannot be spared as the life of poor persons is more important than the service of such persons.” Unless a firm stand is taken by their employers and also by the court, the conduct of the doctors will not improve, it added.
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