Chennai: Investigation has intensified in the case of death of a five-year-old girl due to alleged medical negligence in Ambattur area of Chennai. The Health Department has started the process of action against the doctors of two private hospitals involved in this serious matter. The Directorate of Medical and Rural Health Services (DMRHS) has written to the Tamil Nadu State Medical Council requesting it to investigate the conduct and treatment process of the doctors concerned and take necessary disciplinary action.
In this case, the Medical Council had issued summons to both the doctors and directed them to appear for investigation. However, due to non-appearance of a doctor on the scheduled date, the hearing and investigation proceedings have been postponed for the time being. Now the Medical Council will soon decide on a new date and hear both the parties.
According to the information, the five-year-old daughter of Shinu Alexander and his wife Jisha, residents of Attipattu area, was admitted to Teja Hospital in Ambattur on December 3 after complaining of high fever. Family members say that the girl had normal fever and was taken to the hospital in the hope of getting timely treatment.
The family alleges that after being admitted to the hospital, the girl’s condition continued to deteriorate, but the doctors did not recognize her critical condition in time. They claim that there was negligence in treatment and necessary medical tests and treatment were not done on time. The very next day, on 4 December, the girl died.
After the death of the daughter, the family members made serious allegations against the hospital management and the doctors treating her. He said that if proper treatment had been given in time, the girl’s life could have been saved. The family members complained to the health department demanding a fair investigation into the case and strict action against the culprits.
After receiving the complaint, the Health Department started investigating the entire matter. After reviewing the available medical records, treatment documents and other evidence, the Directorate of Medical and Rural Health Services considered the case serious at the initial stage and sent a detailed report to the Tamil Nadu State Medical Council. The report recommended taking necessary action by examining the professional conduct and treatment process of the doctors concerned.
After this, the Medical Council issued notices to the doctors of two private hospitals involved in the case and asked them to appear in person. The purpose of the council is to hear the sides of both the doctors and decide on the basis of available evidence whether there was any negligence in the treatment or not.
However, a doctor did not appear before the inquiry committee on the scheduled date. Due to this, the hearing could not be completed and the investigation process had to be postponed till the next date. Council officials say that the final decision will be taken only after hearing all the concerned parties.
According to health department officials, if the investigation proves that the doctors have violated medical standards or have shown serious negligence in treatment, then disciplinary action can be taken against them under the rules of the Medical Council. This may also include warnings, action on registration or other legal steps.
Medical experts say that in any case of medical negligence, mere death of the patient is not sufficient ground, but it is also necessary to check whether the doctor had treated as per the accepted medical standards. The conclusion is reached only after a detailed review of all aspects such as medical records, test reports, medication details and treatment timelines.
This incident has also raised questions about the quality and accountability of treatment in private hospitals. Social organizations and child rights activists have demanded an impartial investigation into the matter, saying that if negligence is proven at any level, then strict action should be taken against the culprits, so that such incidents are not repeated in future.
At the same time, the girl’s family is still holding out hope for justice. He says that his daughter cannot be brought back, but if action is taken against the culprits then other families will not have to face such a tragedy in future.
At present, the Tamil Nadu State Medical Council has decided to continue investigating the case. Soon a new date will be fixed and both the doctors will be asked to appear again. After this, further action will be taken on the basis of available evidence and arguments of both the parties.
This matter has once again become a subject of serious debate regarding accountability in the medical sector, patient safety and the quality of treatment in private hospitals. Now all eyes are on the next hearing of the Medical Council and its final decision.
