Atif Aslam reciting naat in ehraam at Hajj 2009

Doctor responsible for the death of a three-year-old girl at the Doctors Hospital

LAHORE: An inquiry committee on Wednesday held a doctor responsible for the death of a three-year-old girl at the Doctors Hospital, saying the girl was administered improper medicine, sources told Daily Times.

Imanae Malik died due to the doctor’s negligence when she was administered three injections of high potency anaesthesia, Aqeel Malik, father of the deceased said. However, Johar Town police Investigation In charge Muhammad Rafique told Daily Times that the hospital administration was trying to cover up their own mistakes by claiming to have terminated the doctor in question.

Rafique said the police would now adopt a different approach to apprehend the people responsible. According to a report submitted to the police by a committee of doctors investigating the girl’s death, Dr Sandeep Kumar was on duty when Imanae was brought to the hospital. The report said Kumar prescribed improper medicines to the girl, causing her death.

The report said Kumar hailed from Ghotki, Sindh, it was his first day on duty at the hospital when the incident took place. Johar Town police had registered a case against the doctor and the paramedical staff of the Doctors Hospital on November 29 following Imanae’s death, on the complaint of her father. Malik said in the complaint that he took his daughter to the hospital early on November 29 with minor finger burns, adding that the doctor on duty and his staff administered the wrong injections to the girl, who died on her way to the Children’s Hospital. According to the FIR, Imanae had suffered minor burns on her hands and after she was administered the injection by the paramedics, her condition started deteriorating and another injection was administered to her. This was followed by another injection, which left the girl crying in pain.

The nurse then alerted the doctor, who was asleep. Kumar advised the child’s parents to take Imanae to the Children’s Hospital, as they were unable to treat her further, but the girl died on way to the other hospital. Malik appealed to the chief justice of Pakistan to provide him justice and order the closure of the Doctor’s Hospital. He also appealed to the Punjab government to form a high-level committee to investigate the incident.