IMPHAL, November 29: The negligence on the part of the staff of the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences, a premier medical institute of the region resulted in the death of a pregnant woman on September 13 last, observed the Human Rights Initiative legal advisor, advocate Paikhomba Meitei today.
The charge from the HRI has emerged at a time when the institute is facing intense criticism from all quarters following the death of a woman after childbirth on November 20 last.
Paikhomba said that 25 years old Aheibam (o) Bijeta Devi wife of A Sanatomba of Lamsang Bazar died on September 13 due to the failure of the doctors and nurses of the institute to properly diagnose the then pregnant woman.
Demanding action against all those involved in the death of the woman, he told media persons at the HRI office that the doctors and other staffs involved should be punished like any other criminal.
He further identified the doctors involved as head of department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Dr N Nabakishore; Dr Victor Khuman; Dr Usharani Akoijam ; Dr A Jack Meitei and Dr Shreedhar NS of RIMS hospital.
Dr N Nabakishore; Dr Victor Khuman; Dr Usharani Akoijam and others manipulated and tempered with the medical treatment records of the patient, he said before continuing that the noting made by the authorities on the set of documents which were handed to the family by the hospital authority on September 17, 2013 were not fully legible.
He further continued that Bijeta was a patient of Prof Dr N Jitendra Singh of Gynaecology ever since she conceived and the doctor used to conduct her health check-ups.
Elaborating further, he said even when the patient was being wheeled in to the operation theatre, everything was normal and after readying for the operation at around 5.15 pm she was administered an injection on her back near her spinal cord.
The patient’s family was later informed to purchase an injection for allergy which was immediate provided, he continued.
Soon after the injection was administered, the patient complained of pain in the back and perennial regions with red spots appearing and her breathing became laboured, he said.
He further charged that the RIMS authority had changed the name of vaccine administered to the patient in the anaesthesia note.
In the Anaesthesia note copy provided by the hospital, the name of the injection had been changed to ‘Bupivance’, he said and added that the original copy is with Bijeta’s family.
As per the ECG report taken after the injection was administered, she was having heart problems, he said before continuing that administering the said drug in such a case without proper diagnosis is risky.
The doctors however failed to conduct proper diagnosis, and latter Dr A Jack Meitei detained the patient in the anaesthesia room till the patient lost consciousness and thereafter the patient was referred to ICU, he continued.
When the family members enquired with the doctor after the patient’s condition deteriorated, the doctors informed that such condition was normal after being administered with the injection; however, around 10 pm, Dr Ranjit informed the family that both the mother and the unborn child could not be saved.
However, Dr Usharani Akoijam had clarified on September 13 that the unfortunate event took place before the patient was put into OT and it was solely the responsibility of the Anaesthesia and the patient was not her patient, he said.
Speaking at the conference, Bijeta’s husband A Sanatomba Singh alleged that he had never signed on Authorisation for Operation ETC, except for the one appearing at the upper portion of the document provided before Bijeta was taken into the OT, he said before adding that his signatures taken after Bijeta was taken into the OT were forged by Dr N Nabakishore; Dr Victor Khuman; Dr Usharani Akoijam.
He alleged that the doctors conspired to commit the offence of manipulation and forgery of medical treatment records in order to conceal their dereliction in duties which cause to death of both mother and child.