Death due to negligence registered against KEM hospital doctor

A case of death due to negligence has been registered against a doctor from KEM hospital after the victim's husband approached the Bhoiwada police. The deceased, who was a chronic tuberculosis and HIV positive patient, died in September 2012.

The police said Mamta Sonawane, 42, who had TB and was HIV positive since 1997, was brought to KEM hospital on September 20, 2012. Dr Rahul Arora, who was on duty, attended to her and asked her family to carry out some tests. The same evening, Mamta was admitted to the hospital's general ward. However, the next day, she developed serious complications and died.

Her husband Ramesh then approached the Bhoiwada police alleging that Mamta did not get proper medication and there was a delay from the doctor in admitting her.

Ramesh said, "There was clear-cut negligence on part of the on-duty doctor. He made us do a number of tests before admitting my wife, we lost precious time in that. Had she been given proper treatment immediately, this would have not happened. The doctor's attitude was very callous."

Inspector Dhananjay Ligade said, "The deceased was HIV positive and had TB since long. After receiving the complaint, we did a thorough inquiry and registered a case of death due to negligence, destruction of evidence and forged documents as Ramesh has been alleging that the case papers were tampered with by the doctor."