Mumbai: On World Kindness Day the health committee chairman of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), Amay Ghole, has shown through his act a lot of kindness to contribute his one month's salary for the two-month infant who sustained burn injuries on November 7, in King Edward Memorial Hospital. Ghole took this step because the BMC refused to give any compensation stating there is no accountability for compensation in cases of medical negligence in civic-run hospitals.
Ghole has donated his one month's salary and requested all the civic officials to donate some per cent of their salary as a crowdfunding for the infant who sustained burn injuries. Ghole has donated Rs 28,000 from his salary to the family.
“If the corporation does not have any provision to provide compensation to patients in such cases, then the officials should come forward and lead the way by donating a part of their salary to the family. We have already asked other doctors to do the same,” said Ghole.
Meanwhile, BMC has formed a three member committee and will investigate the entire matter. “We have formed a three-member committee who will investigate this case and submit the report within seven days to the Additional Municipal Commissioner,” said Dr Ramesh Bharmal, dean, BYL Nair hospital
Senior officials said, there is no provision of compensation in the BMC rules and hence no question of paying any compensation to the family. “We are providing free treatment to the child. As regards the compensation, there is no provision for it in such cases, hence we cannot do anything about it,” said Dr Ashwini Joshi, AMC (health) BMC.
Dr Ravikant Singh, founder of Doctor for You, raised the need for accountability and sensitisation about patients’ rights. “When negligence of this sort is seen in hospitals, due to which the patient or their family are put through physical trauma and undergo mental harassment, the patient has a right as a consumer to ask for the best service. In case of any violation of it, the patient is bound to get compensation,” he said.
Two-month-old infant was admitted to the hospital on November 5 due to congenital heart disease. He was in the paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) where an ECG cable attached to a monitor caught fire on November 7 causing severe burns to his left arm, scalp, and shoulder. The baby, who was already in a critical condition and on ventilator support, became worse due to the burns. On Monday, a team of doctors decided to amputate his left arm, from slightly above the elbow, as the blood supply to the tissues had stopped.
