Negligence case against doctor for postnatal death of woman

1 2 3 Pune: The Alankar police on Saturday evening registered a case of causing death by negligence against Dr Sushrut Ghaisas, the treating doctor of postnatal death victim Tanisha Bhise. Deputy commissioner of police (Zone III) Sambhaji Kadam said, "We raised some queries in the earlier report from the Sassoon General Hospital's six-member committee and received the replies on Saturday afternoon. Thereafter, we registered the case against the treating doctor, Dr Ghaisas.

" He said the Sassoon panel's observations on the queries of the police stated that Dr Ghaisas, a former doctor of Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital, had demonstrated insensitivity and medical negligence. The committee observed that he had failed to admit and treat the patient in time despite the high-risk nature of her pregnancy, which directly led to her death. "This report clearly puts the blame on Dr Ghaisas, and thus we have registered the case against him," Kadam said.



The doctor has been booked under Section 106 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Multiple calls and messages to Dr Dhananjay Kelkar, the medical director of Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital, went unanswered, while Indian Medical Association's (IMA) Pune chapter extended its support to Dr Ghaisas. Dr Sunil Ingale, the president of IMA, Pune chapter, told TOI, "IMA doesn't believe that Dr Ghaisas was negligent because he never gave or denied any treatment to the patient.

We think the Sassoon panel changed the report under some political pressure. We will help Dr Ghaisas in the legal procedure." Dr Vinky Rughwani, administrator, Maharashtra Medical Council, Mumbai, said, "We have just received the news that an FIR has been lodged against Dr Ghaisas.

We need to get into the details of the case to take any action . We will be writing to all the investigation committees seeking their reports before we proceed with the hearing in this matter." The Sassoon hospital's six-member panel had sent its report regarding the postnatal death of Bhise to the police "by hand" on Wednesday.

Pune commissioner of police (CP) Amitesh Kumar on Thursday sought clarity on four points from the committee. The panel sent its replies to the police on Saturday. Bhise's sister-in-law, Priyanka Pate (26) of Karvenagar, lodged a police complaint on Saturday evening.

According to it, Dr Ghaisas neglected the health condition of the seven-month pregnant Bhise (37) in Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital, which was insensitive, and demanded Rs10 lakh to treat her and her babies on March 28. "Her health deteriorated due to this. She died in another hospital on March 31," the complaint stated.

The FIR stated, "Bhise experienced abdominal pain in the morning on March 28. Her family members decided to take her to Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital as she was previously examined by Dr Ghaisas. She was taken there around 9am.

Junior doctors checked Bhise's blood pressure, heart rate and bleeding. A nurse gave her a hospital gown and prepared her for delivery." It stated, "Dr Ghaisas later examined Bhise and said her condition was critical, the blood pressure had shot up and an immediate premature delivery was necessary.

He said the newborns would require NICU care and the estimated expenses would be Rs10 lakh per baby. He gave a signed letter on the hospital's letterhead stating that a deposit of Rs10 lakh was required. Bhise's family members told the doctor to start the treatment immediately and promised to arrange the money.

But the doctor said she should be shifted to Sassoon hospital if it was difficult for the family to arrange the money." Bhise's family members later shifted her to Surya Hospital. She delivered twins there on March 29, but her condition deteriorated post-delivery.

She was then taken to Manipal Hospital, where she passed away on March 31. The FIR stated, "Dr Ghaisas was aware that the patient was critical, but he refused her treatment for over five hours in the want of money. This resulted in deterioration of her condition, and ultimately her death.

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