Punjab

Relatives thrash doctor after patient dies

Family lodges case against doctor for alleged medical negligence.

Rameez Khan April 03, 2011

LAHORE:

A family thrashed a doctor and damaged equipment at Doctor’s Hospital after a recently married woman died allegedly due to medical negligence early on Saturday.

Police officials said that Yasmeen, 27, died about an hour after being admitted to Doctors’ Hospital. The family alleges that she was given the wrong injection. Upon being told of her death, some 35 family members who had gathered at the hospital broke windows, ventilators and furniture, the police said.

Yasmeen’s husband Rashid has filed an application with Johar Town police, who sent the body for an autopsy. However, no complaint was lodged by the Doctors’ Hospital administration against the family for vandalism.

Yasmeen, who got married around 40 days ago, was first taken to Dr Kamran Cheema’s clinic on Jail Road on Friday night. Dr Cheema then referred her to Doctors’ Hospital, where he also works.

She was admitted at around 2:30am on Saturday and put in the general ward, but soon shifted to the emergency ward and treated for tuberculosis, sources in the hospital said. She died around an hour later.

After creating a hue and cry over her death, some 35 family members, mostly women, started thrashing Dr Cheema. They then trashed furniture and equipment. The management of Doctors’ Hospital first tried to calm the family, the source said, then called Johar Town police.

Inspector Muhammad Attique said that the family was devastated by their loss and kept repeating that Yasmeen was fine two days ago. He said that the cause of her death would be determined by the coroner, with the post-mortem report expected in two days.

Doctors’ Hospital officials refused to comment, saying they had been told not to by the administration.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 03^rd, 2011.

COMMENTS (4)

Muhammad Usman Cheema | 13 years ago | Reply I have sympathies with the family for their loss. Denial and anger are normal grief responses. They can be controlled partially however cannot be eliminated totally. In this instance anger is manifested by the vandalism against the hospital property. Having said that, It is sad that we as a nation don't consider vandalism a serious act even if against a hospital. we are not good law abiders. More so when there is practically no law present. If it was not the case, people would think before destroying somebody's property. False accusations are a hallmark of our whole political scenario. It is very easy to gain sympathy by placing false accusations and then get away with it. There should be no getting away from breaking the law, destroying other people's property and hurting them even if you are grieved. And media also has to ensure that such accusations are not portrayed as facts. Because most of the times such accusations are nothing more than a part of grief response. Doctors cannot work if people lose faith in them due to such false alarms.

Raheela | 13 years ago | Reply this is what happens when most of the population of country is totally illiterate regarding health issues.i just hate when attendants say "she was totally OK" if she was why did you bring her to hospital in the first place? and then she died of negligence ? yes you are right TB just came to greet her.

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