Panaji, May 13 (PTI) Days after an 11-year-old boy lost his leg due to medical negligence at a government hospital in Goa, Health Minister Vishwajit Rane on Wednesday announced the formation of a high-level committee to prevent such incidents in the future.
Speaking to reporters, Rane said the committee will visit all the state-run hospitals and set the required protocols.
The minister said it was sad that the boy had to lose his leg because of medical negligence, and added that he will provide an assistance of Rs 25 lakh to his family.
The government has suspended Dr Yavanti Gawade, medical officer at the Community Health Centre (CHC), Valpoi in North Goa, holding her responsible for the negligence, officials said.
Rane said the committee, comprising the secretary (health), director of health services, advisor to the health department Frezella Araujo and others, has been formed to ensure such incidents do not recur.
“I will provide financial help of Rs 25 lakh from my personal funds to the family of the boy. We cannot reverse the damage caused, but at least we can make sure that such incidents don’t happen in future,” he said.
The boy was brought to the CHC on April 27 after suffering an injury to his left leg in a fall.
As per the inquiry report, which was the basis for the doctor’s suspension, the boy was examined by on-duty medical officer Dr Yavanti Gawade, with X-ray revealing “undisplayed closed fracture of the left fibula”.
“As part of the initial treatment, a plaster slab was applied by a multi-tasking staff employee, identified as Suresh, who had reportedly been assisting orthopaedic residents deputed from Goa Medical College and was functioning as an orthopaedic assistant,” the report said.
The boy was again brought to the CHC’s casualty department on April 28 with complaints of fever, vomiting and drowsiness, following which he was referred to Goa Medical College in Bambolim near Panaji.
He developed oedema in the toes, after which the affected limb had to be amputated due to gangrene.
The government on Monday said the observations of the committee indicated an “act of medical negligence” by Gawade, who was suspended with immediate effect pending completion of a detailed inquiry by a committee of experts. PTI RPS GK
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