Court upholds BMC order sacking doctor for medical negligence

The Bombay high court, on Monday, upheld the decision of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to terminate the services of a doctor, who worked on stipend at the Bhabha Hospital, for medical negligence.

The Bombay high court, on Monday, upheld the decision of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to terminate the services of a doctor, who worked on stipend at the Bhabha Hospital, for medical negligence.

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On October 10, 2011, a woman delivered near the hospital gate and lost her child on the same day. The civic-run hospital conducted a probe into the incident and found Dr Manorhita Gaikwad guilty of negligence. Consequently, her services were terminated.

The doctor, then, moved the high court challenging the termination.

The petitioner doctor was enrolled for diploma in gynaecology and obstetrics with the College of Physicians and Surgeons, Mumbai and was appointed as a resident doctor in the hospital on January 29, 2011.

Tabassum Sohrab Shaikh, 19, came to the labour ward with her medical papers, including an ultra-sonography report. Shaikh was first examined by Dr Atul Kulkarni, who referred the case to the petitioner.

They, then, decided to send her to Sion hospital for an ultra sonography, despite the report dated October 5 showing that the foetus was in a breech condition.

The patient returned from Sion Hospital with an ultra sonography report showing a reduction in her amniotic fluid.

Dr Gaikwad and Dr Kulkarni, without informing the registrar on duty, referred the patient to a "higher centre".

They did not arrange for an ambulance or any doctor or nurse to accompany Shaikh to the centre, which is a must as per the guidelines stipulated by the hospital.