18 years after the woman's death, the Supreme Court has ordered the doctor to pay Rs 25 lakh in compensation

- Dr. Gurmeet did not show professional level of readiness in treating the patient

New delhi date. 12 June 2022, Sunday

The Supreme Court has delivered a landmark judgment 18 years after the death of a woman. The court found a Patiala doctor guilty of medical negligence and ordered the family to pay Rs 25 lakh as compensation. According to the report, the laparoscopic surgeon who runs the Preet Surgical Center and Maternity Hospital in Patiala, Dr. Gurmeet Singh has been convicted and ordered to pay compensation. On the other hand, Dr. Atul Mishra, Professor of Surgery, Dayanand Medical College and Hospital (DAMCH), Ludhiana, has been acquitted. It is the same hospital where the woman was brought in for treatment as her condition deteriorated.

What's the matter

Dr. Gurmeet Singh performed laparoscopic cholecystectomy on July 28, 2004 on a patient named Manjit Kaur to remove glaucoma stones. The day after the surgery, the patient complained of abdominal tension and difficulty breathing, but the doctor dismissed it as normal.

He was referred to another hospital as his health was deteriorating

As the patient's condition worsened, he was referred to Dayanand Medical College and Hospital (DMCH). Doctors at DMCH said the patient developed peritonitis due to an internal injury to the bile duct and colon. Doctors at DMCH then performed an emergency laparotomy on August 3, 2004.

The report of the Ethics Committee of the Medical Council of India revealed in its report that Dr. Gurmeet failed to understand the signs and warnings of possible post-operative problems that delayed the patient's treatment and led to his death. The committee found in its report that Dr. Gurmeet did not show professional level of readiness in treating the patient.

Harnek Singh, husband of the deceased Manjit Kaur, on the other hand, said it was a long fight. We have received justice after 18 years.