Junior resident doctors of the ophthalmology department at the Jamshedji Jejeebhoy (JJ) hospital have written to the dean seeking urgent action against Dr Sumeet Lahane, son of Dr TP Lahane, alleging that he is trying to intimidate them to withdraw their complaint against the Lahanes. The junior residents had earlier written to the dean, Dr Pallavi Saple, claiming that Dr TP Lahane, a retired DMER director and ex-dean, continues to perform cataract surgeries in the department, despite adverse effects on academic activities and also in violation of guidelines set by the National Medical Commission (NMC).
Dr Saple said they have received a letter from junior resident doctors and will set up a three-member inquiry committee. “We will appoint members who will look to the matter and based on that action will be taken,” she said.
“It has come to our notice that Dr Sumeet Lahane, the son of Dr TP Lahane, who at present holds no post in the department of ophthalmology, has been unabashedly coming to the department and trying to intimidate the junior residents to withdraw their complaint,” read the letter sent to dean on Monday.
Surgeon threatens residents to withdraw complaints
Dr Sumeet Lahane, who is not posted at the hospital, has also been operating regularly on patients for cataract, cornea and occuloplasty surgeries under the name of “Lecturer under Dr RP”, the junior residents alleged. “In many IPD files of patients discharged from the ophthalmology department even his name can be found as the operating surgeon in the OT notes. Thus, along with Dr TP Lahane and Dr Ragini Parekh, he too is equally responsible for lack of surgical hands among the resident doctors,” letter read.
The surgeon also contacted several residents through WhatsApp and explicitly told them to withdraw their complaints and residents have proof of such chats, including screenshots, a junior resident doctor said. “We request you to look into the matter and bring to the notice of the ongoing inquiry committee and NMC the above-mentioned events by the said ophthalmologist.
Monopoly to be urgently addressed
We also demand that Dr Sumeet Lahane not be allowed on the campus until the inquiry is done and is only allowed to operate on patients if he is officially a part of the faculty,” said the doctors.
The junior residents contended that the monopoly of the ophthalmologists against whom the complaint has been filed needs to be urgently addressed to restore the academic environment in the department which is essential for resident doctors to be trained efficiently.
