Probe 'misconduct' of medical practitioners: YFPHR to MMC
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 10 2020: The Youth's Forum for Protection of Human Rights (YFPHR) has urged the Manipur Medical Council (MMC) to initiate an enquiry urgently under the Manipur Medical Council Act 2009 into the alleged misconduct and negligence by medical practitioners which led to the death of five persons recently.

A representation submitted by YFPHR to the MMC listed five victims namely Kanpatliu Kamei (20) of Puichi village, Md Himmat (3) s/o Md Helaluddin of Santhel Mamang Leikai, Md Iqbal Haque of Lilong, Longjam Basanti (34) w/o Kunjo of Thiyam Leishangkhong and a five days old infant son of Lamlompiyak of New Lamka Dorkas Veng, Churachandpur.

According to the representation, Kanpatliu Kamei was denied treatment by various hospitals including JNIMS and RIMS.

In the afternoon of August 5, Kanpatliu's family took her to Senapati District Hospital as she was expecting to deliver a child.

At about 10.30 pm, without giving any valid reason, the doctors on duty at the district hospital told her family that she should better be taken to Imphal.

Consequently, her family rented a private vehicle and reached JNIMS at around 12.30 am of August 6 .

However, she was refused admission at JNIMS despite having a COVID-19 negative test result issued by Medical Officer In-charge, Noney District.

Left with no other option, Kanpatliu was taken to RIMS but there too she was denied admission despite knowing her serious medical condition.

In route to Shija Hospital, her family tried to seek medical assistance from a couple of hospitals but all of them refused to admit her.

On reaching Shija Hospital, Kanpatliu died along with her unborn child.

Md Himmat was evacuated to Mayang Imphal PHC after he felled into a water body on July 31 .

However, a lady doctor who was stationed at the PHC refused to provide any medical attention.

Subsequently, the boy was taken to Mother's Care Children Hospital at Sagolband Moirang Leirak, Imphal.

The doctors and staff at the hospital tried their best but couldn't save him.

Md.Himmat was declared dead at around 11.45 am on the same day.

Md Iqbal Haque was taken to JNIMS on July 24 to seek emergency medical attention as he was suffering from acute abdominal pain.

Even though he was admitted in the hospital, the doctors concerned advised the patient party to take him at Lamjingba Hospital, Imphal which is a private hospital.

As told by the doctors, Md Iqbal Haque was taken to the private hospital.

But the said hospital refused to treat him.

Thereafter, he was taken to RIMS.

RIMS also refused to treat him.

Having no other alternative, he was brought back to JNIMS again.

But on reaching the hospital gate, he breathed his last.

Longjam Basanti was taken to Community Health Centre, Wangoi on June 10 as she was to give birth.

She used to consult a Medical Officer posted at the said CHC.

On reaching there, the CHC administration refused to admit her on the pretext that the said CHC had been converted into COVID-19 isolation centre.

As a result, Basanti was taken to a nearby hospital.

The family tried to admit at Ragini Memorial Charitable Clinic but no doctor was available there.

Thereafter, Basanti was immediately taken to JNIMS where JNIMS authority declared her brought death.

A 5 days old infant boy died after he was denied treatment by the authority of the District Hospital, Churachandpur on August 6 .

The infant was brought to the district hospital for diagnosis but Medical Officer on duty never bothered to attend to the child.

After sometime, the nurse on duty checked the temperature of the boy and the doctor on duty randomly prescribed some medicines while inquiring about their travel history.

On seeing their negligence, the family members were compelled to go back home but the infant succumbed to his illness at around 8:30 pm, the YFPHR recounted.

Alleging that RIMS, JNIMS, District Hospital Senapati, District Hospital Churachandpur, Mayang Imphal PHC and Wangoi CHC violated fundamental rights of the patients guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution of India, the forum urged the MMC to initiate an enquiry urgently into the gross misconduct or negligence committed by medical practitioners working at RIMS, JNIMS, PHCs CHCs and district hospitals concerned.

After due process of enquiry, fair compensation must be awarded to the victim families and the compensation amounts should be recovered from the administrations of health care centres concerned, it added.

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