Ludhiana hospital deaths: PMC to issue notices to doctors

Taking suo motu notice of the death of two newborns and three stillbirths at Mother Child Hospital attached to Lord Mahavira Civil Hospital here, the Punjab Medical Council (PMC) has decided to issue notices to the hospital’s gynaecologist and paediatrician concerned, besides the senior medical officer (SMO).

Taking suo motu notice of the death of two newborns and three stillbirths at Mother Child Hospital attached to Lord Mahavira Civil Hospital here, the Punjab Medical Council (PMC) has decided to issue notices to the hospital’s gynaecologist and paediatrician concerned, besides the senior medical officer (SMO).

Dr GS Grewal, PMC president, said, “The incident was sad and has disgraced the medical profession as an inquiry committee has found gynaecologist Dr Alka Mittal guilty in two cases.”

“As the matter is related to the health of the masses, we will be serving notices on the gynaecologist, paediatrician and the SMO and will take the matter to the ethical committee of the council,” he added.

The PMC has the powers to cancel the registration of doctors if found guilty on moral or other grounds.

Guilty won’t be spared: CM

Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal on Wednesday called the deaths at the Mother Child Hospital as very unfortunate, adding that a high-level probe had been ordered to look into the matter. Badal was here on a personal visit to attend a wedding.

The CM said, “We will get the matter examined minutely and would make sure any person found guilty is not spared. We have already suspended gynaecologist Dr Alka Mittal and transferred senior medical officer Dr RK Karkara.”