Patient loses hand: Two KTH directors sent home packing

Paramedics had wrongly placed cannula in Faraz Khan’s hand causing infection and amputation

PESHAWAR: Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Health Department has suspended hospital director and medical director of Khyber Teaching Hospital following inquiry into alleged malpractice that led to amputation of the hand of a diabetic patient.

According to the inquiry ordered by Health Minister Dr Hashim Inamullah Khan, KTH Hospital Director Dr Nek Dad Khan and Medical Director Dr Roohul Muqeem failed in performing their duties professionally.

As per report Hangu’s Ahmed Faraz, a diabetes patient, was admitted to hospital’s Medical Unit A.

The patient’s family blamed that the cannula for the intravenous drip had been wrongly placed in patient’s hand due to which infection spread and it had to be amputed.

Health Minister taking notice of the incident formed an inquiry committee on November 16, 2018. The committee concluding its report said that academic and professional protocols and SOPs weren’t considered while rendering medical treatment to the patient. Lack of standard healthcare, hospital, professional skills of paramedics, timely decision-making and technical and administration faults have also been identified due to which Faraz lost his hand.

As per another notification the director of independent monitoring unit Dr Shehzad Faisal has been appointed as hospital director of Khyber Teaching Hospital and Associate Professor Dr Muhammad Shoaib has been handed over the additional responsibility of medical director. 

Published in The Express Tribune, January 27^th, 2019.