Accidents shouldn't be linked to medical negligence: Justice Shah

03 July, 2012

Organised in the backdrop of allegations of malpractices in the medical profession, made in a TV show 'Satyamev Jayate', a motley group of doctors, lawyers and judges participated in a programme that underlined the need of an accountable system in which patients repose faith in their doctors.

MAINTAINING THAT the difference of opinion, errors of judgements, medical errors and accidents shouldn't be linked to medical negligence, Justice Ajit Prakash Shah, former chief justice of Delhi High Court has said that medical profession was 'noble, is noble and will remain a noble profession'.

Justice Shah was delivering a key note address on the occasion of Doctor’s Day celebrations, organised by Heart Care Foundation of India and eMedinewS. “There is always an element of wilful omission and commission in any medical negligence,” Justice Shah said.

The program was organized by the Foundation in view of the recent controversy created by Bollywood actor Aamir Khan in his show Satyamev Jayate, where he blamed medical profession as being one amongst corrupt professions.

Speaking on the occasion, Padma Shri & Dr. B.C. Roy National Awardee, Dr. KK Aggarwal, President Heart Care Foundation of India, said that for every 98 people saved, there will be at least two patients who will die because of medical treatment.

In US alone, one lakh people die every year because of medical treatment. This number in India would be much larger. For saving crores of people in the society many will die because of side effects, high risk cases or medical errors.

Dr. Aggarwal said that the need of the hour is to create safe and effective system and not target medical doctors who provide the best of the care in the available circumstances.

Dr. Yugal Mishra,Director, Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Escorts Heart Institute & Research Centre gave presentation on “Choice of Heart Valves: Bioprosthetic Vs. Mechanical.

A panel discussion was also organised where the panelists discoursed on how to ‘Rebuild the image of Medical Profession’. The panel was moderated by Mr. Vijay Dutt, Nehru Fellow, former Editor Hindustan Times. The panelists included Dr D S Rana, Chairman Ganga Ram Hospital, Padma Shri Awardee Dr Ashok Vaid Chairman Oncology Medanta - The Medicity( Mr Pramath Sinha, Entrepreneur, Mediworx Pvt Ltd., Dr Arun Bhatanagar - Former Secretary, GOI; Mr Nripendra Mishra, Former Secretary, GOI, Mr Rajiv Dogra, Former Ambassador and Secretary External Affairs, Ms Priya Hingorani, Sr Advocate, Dr Sanjiv Malik, former President IMA, Dr A K Aggarwal, President Delhi Medical Council, Dr D R Rai, Secretary General IMA, Dr Harish Gupta, President DMA and Dr Neelam Mohan, Director Pediatric Hepatology & Gastroenterology, Medanta – The Medicity.

The consensus that emerged from the panel discussion was that health should be taken as priority by the government. Medical profession should work in a transparent and accountable system and the public should have faith in their doctors and the concept of family physician should be revived.