No role of medical negligence in death of patient at IGGMCH

By Vikas Vaidya

The premises of Indira Gandhi Government Medical College and Hospital (IGGMCH) on Thursday experienced uproar and chaos as relatives of a patient, who died on the night of February 5. The relatives alleged that the patient died due to negligence on the part of the treating doctors. But the reliable sources disclosed that there was less role of medical negligence. In fact patient died due to infection in heart, sources said. The only thing objectionable was the patient was sent to private blood bank for blood transfusion.
Patient Parshuram Mangal Kolte was admitted to the Surgical Ward of the Mayo Hospital after a road accident three weeks ago. He was sufferering from Fournier gangrene, due to which the skin got infected. IGGMCH refered him to Plastic Surgery department of Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH). GMCH sent the patient back to IGGMCH for blood transfusion. He was admitted to Surgery unit-4 of IGGMCH.
Sources said that shockingly the doctor on-duty sent the patient to private pathology laboratory for blood transfusion when IGGMCH has its own laboratory. Sources disclosed that blood grouping created problem. His blood group was O but he was given the blood of A group. Within 15 minutes they found something wrong was done. This was noticed by son of Parsuram. Doctors immediately stopped the process. Meanwhile patient got serious on the next day and was shifted to Surgical Intensive Care Unit (SICU) and was put on Ventillator. He was given blood on February 3, became serious on February 4 and died on the night of February 5. The relatives naturally connected the incident to the blood transfusion process which was improperly done and they created ruckus. Brother of the patient, Ashok Kolte alleged Dr Gajbhiye and his junior doctor had carried out blood transfusion to Parshuram. According to Ashok, the doctors had apologized for the death of the patient. In the morning of Thursday, the relatives, friends and people of the area in large number reached Mayo Hospital and started holding demonstrations demanding severe action against the negligent doctors. The Tehsil police, after getting information of the incident, immediately rushed to Mayo Hospital and pacified the relatives and other people who had gathered in large number. Police assured them of appropriate action against the doctors.
On Thursday morning, they gheraoed Dr Mohan Khamgaonkar, Medical Superintendent and Acting Dean Dr Lanjewar (Dr Prakash Wakode,  Dean was out of city). They tried to calm down the relatives. Finally police brought control over the situation. Administration assured the relatives of action against the erring doctors if they found guilty. While talking to The Hitavada Dr Prakash Wakode said that nobody would be spared if the report of the enquiry committee went against them.
The enquiry committee of five members was constituted. The members included Dr Mohan Khamgaonkar, Dr Lanjewar, Dr A V Shrikhande, Dr P P Joshi and Dr Koichade. The committee is expected to submit its report as early as possible. Meanwhile the body of Parasram Kolte was sent for Post Mortem.
Highly reliable sources said though there was some problem with regards to blood transfusion with a wrong grouping but that could not have resulted into his death. The patient had developed infection in heart which was dangerous and that led to the death of Parasram. The infection or septic in heart due to his critical health might have created ambolisation and he died, said sources.