ISLAMABAD: A citizen has filed a petition against a private hospital over alleged negligence during treatment of his mother that cost her life.
Left with no other adequate remedy, the petitioner Sajjad Malik has approached the Islamabad High Court seeking justice against Quaid-e-Azam International Hospital (QIH), one of the leading private sector hospital in the capital city.
Filed through his counsel Umer Gilani advocate, Malik in his petition pleaded that his mother Mrs. Sultan Begum died on May 14 this year in Quaid-e-Azam International Hospital during Liver Transplant surgery, amidst circumstances which create a strong suspicion of medical negligence.
When he looked at the death certificate issued by the hospital, he noticed that it does not make any mention whatsoever of liver transplant surgery as the cause of death. Instead, it mentions heart attack as the principal cause of death.
He was further aggrieved when he learnt that the hospital is counting his mother’s case as a successful transplant.
In fact, when he asked around, he learned that many other similar cases where patients died during the surgery have been counted by the hospital as success cases which helps hospital attract patients for this expensive procedure which normally costs more than five million.
Disturbed by these circumstances, he requested the hospital for a copy of the complete medical records including surgery notes of his mother’s case, so that he could seek independent review from another qualified surgeon about the possible negligence.
Instead of supplying the applicant with medical records, the hospital sent him a letter.
Applicant then filed a complaint to the newly established Islamabad Healthcare Regulatory Authority under IHCRA 2018. Under this Act, the Authority is supposed to entertain all complaints related to cases of medical negligence and and order independent inquiries into deserving cases.
Unfortunately, for over one month, the Authority has not replied to the complaint, he claimed. Left with no other adequate remedy, he has filed a petition in Islamabad High Court.
It has been reported that newly set up healthcare regularity body is not been taking action on any complaints being filed by aggrieved persons. The organization complains about lack of financial and administrative resources for its inaction. This has been admitted by the regulatory body in another similar case, the petitioner said.
“Admitted inaction of the Respondent No 1/authority has created a situation where medical establishments are enjoying a climate of impunity.” reads the petition.
In such a climate of impunity, professional negligence is bound to flourish and this is causing continuous threat to the life of residents of Islamabad. Right of life is guaranteed in Article 9 in the Constitution of Pakistan, said the petition.
“The situation calls for intervention of this Honourable Court so that those suffering due to medical negligence, maladministration and malpractices of healthcare establishments in Islamabad are provided a forum where their grievances can be professionally and expeditiously decided,” the petitioner added.
