Effectively ensuring that three city doctors and another physician from Fazilka will be out of job for three-six months, the Punjab Medical Council (PMC) has suspended their registration.Dr Rama Sofat, Dr Amit Sofat and Dr Ruchika Sofat of Dr Rama Sofat Hospital, Civil lines, Ludhiana, have lost the right to practice for three months for violating norms of advertising in the media several times and for not heeding warnings against the practice.
Fazilka civil hospital medical officer Dr Narinder Sethi was also suspended for six months for issuing a medical certificate to a 12-year-old girl, declaring her an adult of 19 years, without conducting standard tests for determination of age and documents.
THE LUDHIANA CASE
On October 10, the PMC registrar wrote to the Ludhiana Assistant Deputy Commissioner (ADC), demanding the registration of a case against the three members of the Sofat family, following which police division number 8 lodged a First- Infor mation Report (FIR) against the doctors on October 14.
The council has asked the doctors submit their original registration certificates at its office.
PMC president Dr GS Grewal said, “It must be for the first time in the history of the council that criminal proceedings have been started, and registration suspended for unethical practices. However, we aim to make the profession transparent and free of graft.” IMA TO HOLD MEET ON OCTOBER 26
The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has called a state-level meeting on October 26 at Phagwara to discuss the issue. IMA state president Dr Sudhir Raj said, “District IMA units have approached us on the issue and thus we have decided to conduct meetings to discuss and make our view point on issuance on notices to doctors by PMC.” He said that every doctor should be given a chance to explain his/her point of view before taking any action. “My thoughts on the matter are that ethical rules need to be reviewed as times change. Competition is tough and hospitals are treated on a par with other commercial establishments by the government.”
The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has called a state-level meeting on October 26 at Phagwara to discuss the issue. IMA state president Dr Sudhir Raj said, “District IMA units have approached us on the issue and thus we have decided to conduct meetings to discuss and make our view point on issuance on notices to doctors by PMC.” He said that every doctor should be given a chance to explain his/her point of view before taking any action. “My thoughts on the matter are that ethical rules need to be reviewed as times change. Competition is tough and hospitals are treated on a par with other commercial establishments by the government.”