Alleged malpractice: Doctors leave sponge in woman’s stomach
Man takes Services Hospital Karachi’s gynaecologists to court. Court directs committee to submit report in a week.
KARACHI:
A man has taken Services Hospital, Karachi’s gynaecologists to court after they allegedly left a surgical swab inside his wife’s stomach while delivering her child.
Abdul Waqar Shaikh, an employee of the Sindh High Court himself, took his wife, who was going to have a baby, to the hospital on November 4, 2009, where she was operated on. She was discharged on November 10 and for a few days she complained of pain in her abdomen and pelvic region. Shaikh took her back to the hospital on November 13 where she was given some treatment as an out-patient (that is she was not admitted).
However, her condition continued to deteriorate and Shaikh took her to different hospitals and in the end, to the Health Care Hospital in DHA, where a diagnosis was made.
The doctors found a 15 by 15 mm-sized sponge inside her abdomen. The swab was removed in two different operations. Her life was saved but she is now bedridden due to post-operative complications. Shaikh maintained in his petition that this happened to her because of the negligence of the gynecologists.
On Friday, a division bench of the SHC ordered an inquiry committee to complete its report within a week. The bench, comprising Chief Justice Sarmad Jalal Osmany and Justice Ahmed Ali M Sheikh, was hearing the petition. Shaikh has named the Sindh chief secretary, health secretary, head of obstetrics and gynaecology at Services hospital, gynaecology ward incharge Dr Samina, Dr Zahida of the hospital and Health Care Hospital, DHA.
Shaikh has asked the court to declare the respondents as negligent, unfit to practice medicine and to direct the health secretary to form a committee of senior doctors to determine the liability upon doctors and the compensation for him to the extent of the expenses he incurred while having his wife treated at a private hospital.
On Friday, when the petition came up for hearing, Shaikh’s private hospital’s lawyer filed a report on the surgery to remove the swabs. The court was also informed that a board of inquiry has examined Dr Aisha and Dr Nasir Zulfiqar, who removed the alleged surgical swab. The bench adjourned for January 28.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 22nd, 2011.
A man has taken Services Hospital, Karachi’s gynaecologists to court after they allegedly left a surgical swab inside his wife’s stomach while delivering her child.
Abdul Waqar Shaikh, an employee of the Sindh High Court himself, took his wife, who was going to have a baby, to the hospital on November 4, 2009, where she was operated on. She was discharged on November 10 and for a few days she complained of pain in her abdomen and pelvic region. Shaikh took her back to the hospital on November 13 where she was given some treatment as an out-patient (that is she was not admitted).
However, her condition continued to deteriorate and Shaikh took her to different hospitals and in the end, to the Health Care Hospital in DHA, where a diagnosis was made.
The doctors found a 15 by 15 mm-sized sponge inside her abdomen. The swab was removed in two different operations. Her life was saved but she is now bedridden due to post-operative complications. Shaikh maintained in his petition that this happened to her because of the negligence of the gynecologists.
On Friday, a division bench of the SHC ordered an inquiry committee to complete its report within a week. The bench, comprising Chief Justice Sarmad Jalal Osmany and Justice Ahmed Ali M Sheikh, was hearing the petition. Shaikh has named the Sindh chief secretary, health secretary, head of obstetrics and gynaecology at Services hospital, gynaecology ward incharge Dr Samina, Dr Zahida of the hospital and Health Care Hospital, DHA.
Shaikh has asked the court to declare the respondents as negligent, unfit to practice medicine and to direct the health secretary to form a committee of senior doctors to determine the liability upon doctors and the compensation for him to the extent of the expenses he incurred while having his wife treated at a private hospital.
On Friday, when the petition came up for hearing, Shaikh’s private hospital’s lawyer filed a report on the surgery to remove the swabs. The court was also informed that a board of inquiry has examined Dr Aisha and Dr Nasir Zulfiqar, who removed the alleged surgical swab. The bench adjourned for January 28.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 22nd, 2011.