BHOPAL: Three government doctors facing action for lapses in the inspection of a private hospital where a fire killed eight people on August 1 in Jabalpur were later tasked to inspect nine other hospitals in the same city in Madhya Pradesh.
The matter was brought to the notice of the Jabalpur bench of the High Court during a hearing on a petition on the fire. The HC observed on Aug 18, “It is quite shocking the manner in which the proceedings have been conducted. When orders of suspension are proposed, the same day the very persons are made members of a committee to enquire into the issue for which they are being suspended.”
The court has asked the deputy advocate general to put on an affidavit the facts of the case.
The doctors are anaesthesiologists Nishedh Chaudhary, LN Patel and paediatrician Kamlesh Verma – posted at Jabalpur District Hospital.
They were suspended/given show-cause notice for lapses in inspection of New Life Multi Specialty Hospital. The victims of the fire included patients and staff members. Owing to these lapses, the then Jabalpur CMHO on Aug 2 had proposed suspending the three doctors.
As per the case file, a few hours after suspending the doctors, the CMHO included them in a team of 45 doctors that was tasked with inspecting 136 other hospitals and nursing homes in Jabalpur. The three doctors conducted the inspection of nine hospitals (three hospitals by each doctor), including a multi-specialty facility. They then submitted their report to the department.
The petition was filed by Law Students Association state president Vishal Baghel in the Aug 1 fire related matters. The HC’s division bench expressed on Wednesday its displeasure in the matter and questioned why an FIR was not lodged against the three doctors who had committed lapses in the hospital’s inspection.
Joint Director (Health) in Jabalpur district, Dr Sanjay Mishra, appeared to justify the permission given to the three doctors to inspect other hospitals. “Two doctors were suspended and one was given show cause notice. They were included in the panel of 45 doctors for inspecting 136 hospitals due to staff shortage. They weren’t told to inspect New Life Multi Specialty Hospital, but were asked to inspect other hospitals. They submitted their report in three days,” Mishra said.