Max hospital infants death: Medical Council refers case to disciplinary panel

The Indian Express | New Delhi | Published: Jan 24, 2018 2:21 am

The hospital had come under scanner after it handed twins — one of them stillborn — to the parents in polythene packets, declaring that both were dead. On the way to the crematorium, the family found that one of them was alive. The child died later.

The Delhi Medical Council (DMC) has referred the medical negligence case involving Max Hospital, Shalimar Bagh, to its disciplinary committee, sources told The Indian Express.  Sources said the disciplinary committee is likely to issue fresh summons and the treating doctors might be asked to appear before the committee and explain their action in the treatment of the premature baby of 22 weeks.

“The executive council has decided to refer the case to disciplinary committee. The committee is likely to issue summons in the next few weeks, when the first meeting is likely to take place,” the source at DMC told The Indian Express.

The hospital had come under scanner on December 1 after it handed twins — one of them stillborn — to the parents in polythene packets, declaring that both were dead. On the way to the crematorium, the family found that one of them was alive. The child was rushed to a nursing home, where he later died.

Explaining the procedure that the DMC follows, the source said “if the expert panel finds prima facie evidence of medical negligence” and “needs further clarification”, the matter is forwarded to a disciplinary committee, comprising three medicos and three non-medicos.

Meanwhile, Max Healthcare said, “A detailed inquiry of this case is underway by the DMC. The police have clarified that they will await DMC’s report before finalising their findings. The DMC calling doctors for investigation is a part of standard investigation process. It will be appropriate to await the results of DMC’s detailed inquiry before forming any judgment on the incident.”

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