Health dept seeks to debar Salem gynae
Chennai: The state health department has asked the Tamil Nadu Medical Council to debar a Salem-based gynaecologist from practising medicine as “she could be a threat to society and poor pregnant women.”
The complaint was one of the 24 cases presented before the disciplinary committee of the council on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Dr Rani Arivukkarasu, who failed to appear before the council on Tuesday for detailed inquiry as she was unwell, has sought for detailed charges against her. Council president Dr K Senthil said the committee is yet to decide on the course of action. “It is under discussion. We will be giving her the chargesheet. She has to appear before the committee for an inquiry,” he said.
A woman died under the care of Dr Arivukkarasu soon after delivery in February. That was a week after the Tamil Nadu Medical Council revoked the doctor’s suspension for “negligence and misconduct” that had led to a similar death in 2016. In the first case, the directorate of medical services had forwarded the family’s complaint to the medical council. Following disciplinary inquiry, she was suspended from medical rolls for six months in October 2018. But on February 18, the council revoked her suspension based on “her repeated pleas.” On February 28, a pregnant woman, Durga Damodharan, was admitted to Arokya Hospital in Salem. She died on March 1.
A woman died under the care of Dr Arivukkarasu soon after delivery in February. That was a week after the Tamil Nadu Medical Council revoked the doctor’s suspension for “negligence and misconduct” that had led to a similar death in 2016. In the first case, the directorate of medical services had forwarded the family’s complaint to the medical council. Following disciplinary inquiry, she was suspended from medical rolls for six months in October 2018. But on February 18, the council revoked her suspension based on “her repeated pleas.” On February 28, a pregnant woman, Durga Damodharan, was admitted to Arokya Hospital in Salem. She died on March 1.
Officials at the health department said the decision to revoke her suspension was done in haste without informing the department or the complainant. The council has now received letter from the joint director of medical service from the directorate of medical services in Salem and National Health Mission Tamil Nadu mission director Darez Ahamed, who is in-charge of the maternal death audits in the state.
Audits showed Durga suffered severe bleeding after delivery. It did not stop even after her uterus was removed. Since the hospital does not have facilities to deal with such cases, Dr Arivukkarasu should have referred her to a better centre. Doctors had induced labour the previous night but weren’t present in the hospital to monitor her progress and reference to tertiary hospital was not done on time. O fficials now said late referral was one of the reasons that caused the patient’s death in 2016. “If she is not stopped now it could be a threat to society and poor pregnant women,” the official said.
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