Anaesthesia botch-up doc no better than a quack


Dubbing a doctor a quack for administering anaesthesia despite not being qualified, the Maharashtra consumer commission has observed that no doctor can do a specialized job if s/he does not have the necessary qualification.

The case pertains to a woman who died days after giving birth 10 years ago following anaesthesia-related complications.The commission relied on Supreme Court judgments which said unless the person holds a necessary qualification,he should not perform the job of the specialist.

The Maharashtra State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission upheld a district forum order which found the doctors guilty of negligence.It directed gynaecologist Sujata Rathod and physician Vasant K Jog to pay the victims family Rs 6.6 lakh compensation.

The commission observed that Rathod knew Jog did not hold either a post-graduate degree or diploma in anaesthesia,which is a mandatory qualification for an anaesthetist as per the Medical Council of India. The commission referred to an expert committee observation that said a quack is a person who lacks knowledge of a particular system of medicine but practises in that system,and is a mere pretender of a medical knowledge or skill in effect,a charlatan.

Rathod had contended that when Shashikala came to her for a check-up in June 2003,she was treated for cold,cough and fever.In November 2011,a district forum had passed an order in favour of the couple.Aggrieved,the doctors filed an appeal. The commission dismissed the appeal.

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