News & Views dated June.2016
Dr. Rakesh s/o Dr. Anoop Kumar cracks IAS Exam with flying colors:
This is a matter of pride and privilege for all of us to know that Dr. Rakesh Kumar s/o Dr. Anoop Kumar, a senior member of our esteemed IMA has cleared IAS examination, he got 91st rank. Congratulations Dr. Anoop & family.
Dr. Rakesh , is doing his MS Surgery in Govt. Medical College Patiala He did his MBBS from DMC Ludhiana and during his rural posting in internship, he was moved at the pathetic conditions in the health services in the rural area . It was then that he decided to join administrative services where he thought that he can do much better for these people as compared to serving as a doctor. May God bless the young man!
A medical mishap: Wrong foot operated at Fortis Shalimar Bagh, New Delhi
This is a never event: Never events are situations where deficiency of service and or negligence is presumed and no trial of expert’s evidence is necessary.
In a worrying incident of medical negligence, doctors at Fortis Hospital’s, Shalimar Bagh New Delhi wrongly operated a 24-year-old male’s left leg, despite the injury being on the right foot. Mr. Rai, the patient, had fractured his right leg as he fell down from his stairs. He was rushed to Fortis Hospital where doctors suggested a number of tests including — a CT-scan and X-Ray. They also suggested that his condition was serious and that an immediate surgery was required. The patient agreed for the surgery but to the family’s shock, the wrong leg was operated upon. An FIR was then registered by the family. Hospital authorities while assuring the aggrieved family appropriate action have dismissed the services of five persons.
Why this happens ??
The reasons found out for these grave errors are:
- similar sounding names,
- failure to check patient names on medical records
- Reversing the sides of X-rays and scans placed on viewing boxes in the operating room etc.
In the meanwhile IMA has given recommendations to avoid these mishaps.
• Surgeons shall mark the surgical site before going to the operating room though the limb was marked in the above said patient.
• Also mark the site that should not be touched.
• In the operating room before starting surgery, all members of the surgical team should confirm that they have the correct patient, surgical site and procedure.
• The operating room team should take ''a timeout'' to check medical records and X-rays, discuss among themselves what they are about to do, and corroborate information with the patient.
MCI to be replaced by Medical Education Commission :
Medical Council of India has been in the news almost always due to wrong reasons and after being looked by an expert committee formed by the Supreme Court, the news is that MCI may be scrapped and be replaced by a commission to be known as Medical Education Commission. This commission will have three wings which will independently look after curriculum & medical education, accreditation of the institutes and medical ethics. Prominent persons from the medical field, who will be allowed to do practice, will be chosen to head the wings of this commission. The Govt. is likely to route this amendment though executive action as the legislative action may face stiff opposition esp. in the Rajya sabha. As many MP’s are involved in running medical colleges, the Govt. may face stiff opposition from them but it is reported that PM Modi is determined to bring in a new regulator.
Medical Colleges can be set up by Private Companies in India The health ministry has issued a directive to the Medical Council for allowing private companies to set up medical colleges across the country. The Medical Council of India (MCI) received a letter from the Union Health Ministry to modify the sub-clause limiting entry towards the establishment of medical colleges in India of entities making profits (e.g. private limited companies). While private medical colleges were being set up in the past, an important rider was presented by the MCI (amended in the Gazette of India published on 26/02/2010): ‘companies registered under Company Act may also be allowed to open medical colleges. Permissions shall be withdrawn if the colleges resort to commercialisation.’ The move could now allow corporate houses, pharmaceutical companies, and private hospitals to open medical colleges. There are currently 49,918 MBBS seats and 381 medical colleges registered with the MCI.
High Court of Delhi rejects appeal of Ayurvedic Practitioners:
The High Court of Delhi has rejected an appeal preferred by the Ayurvedic practitioners. The Ayush practitioners had appealed against a decision of the Division bench in which these practitioners had been barred from prescribing allopathic medicines. The high court while dismissing the appeal said that the appeal does not carry any merit. This may be recalled that in April 2016, the High Court of Delhi in A PIL preferred by Delhi Medical Association and Delhi Medical Council had ruled that the Ayush doctors can not prescribe allopathic medicines.
Retirement Age of Central Govt. doctors raised to 65.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi increased the retirement age for central government doctors will be to 65 years. He is of the view that the retirement age of those working in states should also be increased to 65 years. It is pertinent to mention here that the retirement age has already been increased to 70 years in medical colleges. PM said that increasing the retirement age will help reduce shortage of doctors in the country, especially in the rural areas. IMA HQ has welcomed this move.
PM asks doctors to give free treatment to pregnant women on 9th of every month.
The Prime Minister has appealed to doctors to give one day each month (the 9th day) and treat pregnant women from economically backward classes for free. IMA HQ has also come in favour of this move and has appealed its members to provide free consultation to pregnant women from economically weaker sections of the society, across the country on the 9th of every month.
Vets to come under PNDT Act – MAHARASHTRA STATE BRINGS VETS UNDER STRINGENT LAW
The state government has moved to block another illegal avenue increasingly being used by expectant parents to determine their unborn child's sex. It has now made it mandatory for all veterinary doctors and hospitals to register their ultrasound machines with municipal officials or the district health department and provide details of every test conducted on the equipment. Vets will also have to display a board declaring "We do not conduct sex determination tests" at their clinics. Similar rules are already in place for radiologists under the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act (PCPNDT), 1994. But until now, vets didn't face much scrutiny over misuse of ultrasound machines. This follows a sting operation by an NGO who exposed a vet doctor, who was charging Rs.10,000/- for every sex determination test. The latest crackdown will help curb such cases, including those where portable machines meant for conducting examinations on animals are used for pre-natal tests.
Compiled by
Dr. Ashwani K Juneja
Vice President cum Member News & Views Committee
IMA Hoshiarpur