CHENNAI: The Indian Medical Association’s Tamil Nadu branch has urged the state government to let the alleged medical negligence case involving a 10-year-old boy in Karaikudi run its legal course, rather than allow it to be settled through extrajudicial means using political pressure, after doctors alleged that a senior ruling party leader had brokered a Rs 50 lakh compensation deal between the boy’s family and the doctors involved.
In a release on Thursday, the association said it had received information that an influential ruling party functionary from Karaikudi convened a meeting between the two parties, following which the doctors were asked to pay an amount to the affected family. Though the doctors sought reasonable time to arrange the payment, they were reportedly directed to pay forthwith, and the amount was paid accordingly.
If these reports are accurate, the IMA said, it is deeply disturbing and raises serious concerns about due process, fairness and the rule of law, with the potential to set a dangerous precedent.
With the matter already before a court, the association said, allegations of medical negligence must be decided on evidence, expert medical opinion and due process. If external pressure becomes a means of extracting compensation from doctors, it would breed fear within the medical fraternity, discourage doctors from taking on complex, high-risk cases, and ultimately affect patient care and society, IMA said.
“Instant justice outside of law will be delivered by every MLA and councillor who think they are helping the poor. Let the court decide and award the compensation,” said state IMA president Dr B Sridhar. He urged the state to issue clear directions to its legislators and ministers that complaints must be routed through administrative and judicial channels alone.
In a video appeal that the boy’s mother, Dhanalakshmi, made to Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on July 14, she said her son had complained of itching in his penis, and that a private hospital in Karaikudi had recommended a procedure to remove the penile foreskin and to which the family consented to.
“But we don’t know what happened, or if it was something wrong that they did, he lost his penis. We protested, they only arrested us, but let the people who committed the mistake get away,” she said.
Based on the family’s complaint, the Karaikudi North Police booked two doctors and the health department opened a separate inquiry. On Wednesday, Dhanalakshmi and her husband Meenakshi Sundaram released a follow-up video thanking the CM and Minister TK Prabhu.
She said that after her July 14 appeal, Prabhu visited the family and assured them the government would take care of her son’s treatment and education. Attempts to reach the senior leader in question and Health Minister KG Arunraj were unsuccessful.
