2 Fortis docs arrested for medical negligence

Gurugram: Two senior doctors of Fortis Hospital in Haryana's Gurgaon were arrested on Friday for a "delay in administration of emergency medicines" to a 51-year-old woman, who died of cardiac arrest last year, police said.

A special investigation team headed by inspector Gaurav Phogat of Gurgaon Police, which was investigating the case, found evidence of medical negligence against cardiologist Dr Suryanarayan Murty and Dr Vajja Nagaraju, emergency officer, for the death of the woman identified as Seema Ghai on May 12 last year.

"They will be produced in a court in the afternoon," Gurgaon Police spokesperson Ravinder Kumar said.

A case against four doctors of the Fortis Hospital was registered on February 20 under section 304 of the Indian Penal Code at Sushant Lok police station on the complaint of the victim's husband, Mukesh Ghai.

Mukesh, an additional general manager in RITES Ltd, said in his complaint that no medicine was administrated to his wife between 1.35am to 9 am on May 12, which led to her death.

"My wife suffered a cardiac arrest at 4.20am, and she was shifted to the ICU, but no doctors accompanied her," he said in his complaint to the police.

The death took place at 9.48am even though the doctors told him that she was recovering.

The matter was referred to the medical board after Mukesh's complaint, and it gave its report after an inquiry into the matter.

The report submitted by the board proved crucial in the investigation as medical experts held that Seema, who was admitted for chest pain, died due to a delay in administration of emergency medicines and found a laxity on the part of the doctors treating her.

"The matter is sub-judice. We are providing complete support to the authorities concerned," a hospital spokesperson said.

Many super speciality hospitals have been under a cloud for cases of medical negligence in recent months.

An RTI filed by a social activist reveals that from 2016 and 2017 there have been 46 cases of gross medical negligence that have been registered against the private as well as government hospitals.