M A I N   N E W S

Death due to “negligence”at PGI
Vibha Sharma
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 3
It is a story of alleged negligence at the hands of a doctor of the premier health institute of the North the PGI. The victims are once again the educated upper crust of society who refuse to buy the “cover-up” version given by the Gynaecology and Obstetrics Department of the PGI.

“If the PGI is not competent to deal with emergencies properly, it should not have taken our case and told us to go,” cries an agonised Mr Vikram Aggarwal, who says that his wife, Umang, was a victim of alleged negligence by a doctor of the institute, who did not give her immediate treatment following an extensive post partum haemorrhage(PPH) after delivery. “After spending more than five lakhs and an endless traumatic experience at the hands of this particular doctor, I am considering moving the consumer court for compensation,” he adds bitterly.

When contacted, the Head of the Gynaecology and Obstetrics Department, Prof Sarla Gopalan, whose unit was in charge of the treatment of 28-year-old Umang, refused to comment on the case. The PGI Director, Prof S.K. Sharma, said that since he was not aware of the case, he was in no position to comment on it.

A leading private medical practitioner, on condition of anonymity, however, asserted that even though PPH was normal, was still a gynaecologist’s nightmare. “PPH is a complication which is not avoidable and needs active management. It is certainly very serious and needs surgical intervention as fast as possible because during this period the patient loses blood just like water flows out of a tap,” she asserted.

Umang, the only child of her parents and married for only one year, was expecting a baby. According to the PGI, she died following complications after her delivery, which her husband, Mr Vikram Aggarwal, an advocate with the Punjab and Haryana High Court, asserts were mainly due to precious 50 minutes lost between 7.30 a.m., when the consultant on first call, Dr Neelam Aggarwal, was informed and 8.20 a.m., when the examination under anaesthesia by Dr Rashmi Bagga actually took place. “We were told by the doctors on duty that Umang was losing blood fast. It was delay of these precious 50 minutes when the doctor on call, whose duty was till 8 a.m., refused to come saying that the next consultant be called, that struck the death knell. At 7.30 a.m. her blood pressure had already fallen from 130/70 to 100/6 while her pulse rate had gone down from 106 to 82 ,” he says.

Recounting the details to TNS, Mr Vivek Aggarwal, who also lost his son just four days after his birth, asserts that the ordeal he and his unfortunate wife suffered was in fact a disgrace to the medical profession.

In July, 2000, somewhere during the first trimester of her pregnancy, Umang was informed by a private practitioner that though everything was normal, they should also get a PGI card made in case of emergency. He says that they met Prof Sarla Gopalan, who assured them that in all probability, Umang’s pregnancy would be uncomplicated and normal and could be dealt with by any private gynaecologist.

“We started visiting a private practitioner, who conducted all the routine tests, but towards the end of November she told us that there was a complication as the placenta was low lying and should be ideally dealt with by the PGI. We went to the PGI on December 26, 2000, where we were told that a private ward should be booked and Umang admitted to hospital to rest for a few days,” he adds.

Umang was admitted on December 29 and during her stay in the hospital, two ultrasound tests were also carried out. “On January 8, 2001, we were told that the placenta had receded and was not low lying any more and that Umang would not be requiring a caesarian section any more. We were told to come for weekly check-ups till the delivery time. On the night of February 10, around 11 p.m., Umang started having pains, which increased by 2 a.m. We reported to the labour room at 3.00 a.m., where I was asked to make a file. At 6.30 a.m., I was informed that we had been blessed with a male child and that it was a normal delivery,’’ recounts Mr Aggarwal.

However, when he came back with the file, he was told that the baby was not breathing properly and should be admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and was asked to get another file made. “By the time I came back with the NICU file, doctors told me that Umang’s bleeding had not stopped and that we should immediately arrange for a unit of blood. Around 7.30 p.m., when the residents could not manage the haemorrhage, they informed the consultant on call, Dr Neelam Aggarwal. Ideally, a senior consultant should have been available right away. But we came to know later that since Dr Aggarwal’s duty got over at 8 p.m., she had instead asked the consultant on call from 8 a.m., to be contacted. My wife was wheeled inside the operating theatre at 8 a.m., and an examination under anaesthesia finally began at 8.20 a.m., after a gap of more than 50 minutes,” he adds.

The family was told that a hystectomy operation to remove the uterus would be required. “More blood and medicines were asked for. We were told that for half an hour Umang was pulse-less and BP-less. Now, of course , they refuse they ever said this. She was in the ICU for one day and later shifted to a ward. We were also told that the cervix and uterus would be sent to the histopathology laboratory. When we confirmed this from the lab, we were told that they had not received the specimen at all. The department told us that it could be an oversight, but our apprehension is that, fearing adverse reports, it has gone into the dustbin. After all, once things start going wrong, they also have to be covered up.”

While Umang’s baby expired on February 14 due to multi-organ failure following severe asphyxia, she herself died on March 8 due to severe blood loss and subsequent complications. She was given medicines and treatment worth Rs 5 lakh and 15 to 20 units of whole blood and 60 to 70 units of fresh frozen plasma, platelet rich plasma and platelet concentrate . “When we asked Prof Sarla Gopalan to explain why and where things had gone wrong, she said that there was no answer and that they had not been able to ascertain the cause.