For Raju Bhoye, 31, it came as a shock when he lost his wife Indira, 28, within a week after being operated at the state-run JJ Hospital, Byculla. Indira breathed her last on Saturday night in the hospital. Raju, distressed at this wife's death, has alleged medical negligence against the doctors of general surgery (Unit 6) for not attending to his wife, when her condition deteriorated.
On July 26, Indira, a resident of Jawahar in Thane tribal district, experienced a strange pain in her abdomen. "We consulted a local doctor in Wada, a neighbouring town, who conducted a sonography. He discovered that Indira had a hole in her intestines and suggested that we go to JJ Hospital for further treatment," said Raju.
Raju works in non-profit Adivasi Samajik Sanstha at Jawahar, which works for upliftment of tribals.
Indira was suffering from peritonitis, which is an inflammation of the tissue that lines the inner wall of the abdomen and is caused by fungal or bacterial infection. Doctors at JJ advised an emergency surgery. "My wife was wheeled in for surgery on July 27. The next day evening, her condition worsened. She was admitted in the general ward, and we requested the doctors in the Unit 6 of general surgery, who had operated upon her, that she be shifted to the critical care unit (CCU). But our repeated pleas fell on deaf ears. She was stabilised by them in the general ward that evening," said Raju.
Indira's condition worsened yet again, in the next three days, the doctors did not tend to her on time. "On July 31, we had to complain to the nurses of her ill health. We were told that a lecturer Dr Aftab Shaikh will tend to her. Dr Shaikh did not turn up for over four hours," Raju said.
Raju later approached the medical superintendent Dr Nitin Bavadekar on August 1. "After the complaint, we shifted Indira to CCU," said Dr Bavadekar. After Indira died on August 3, Raju insisted that a post-mortem be conducted. "I was informed by the doctors that a pus had developed in the stomach after the surgery and water had accumulated in her lungs due to an infection," said Raju.
Dean of JJ Hospital, Dr TP Lahane informed that an internal inquiry for the alleged medical negligence has been initiated against doctors of general surgery – Unit 6, headed by Dr Mahendra Navare, lecturer Dr Aftab Shaikh and three other doctors of the department. "The post-mortem report has confirmed that the death of the patient occurred post surgery due to peritonitis. The inquiry committee will probe the matter," said Dr Lahane.
Dr Mahendra Navare, when contacted by dna, refused to comment. The JJ Marg police station is recording statements of the complainant and the doctors. "Police inquiry has been initiated and we will register a case after recording the statements," said an official at JJ Marg police station.
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