SHRC recommends targeting government cases. Doctors “force” patients to practice in private hospitals

The State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) on Monday recommended the Tamil Nadu government to conduct criminal cases against a government doctor who allegedly refused to attend with Burns (self-death) and forced her to go to a private hospital where he practiced and fired him immediately.

The Committee also recommends that the woman’s husband be compensated in compensation of Rs 5 million. While the government has the responsibility to pay Rs 6 lakh, it is necessary to recover Rs 4 lakh from the doctor, Rs 2 lakh from the doctor and Rs 2 lakh from a senior civil surgeon, and each of the two nurses also plays a role in the transfer of patients.

SHRC member V. Kannadasan advises the Tamil Nadu government to monitor the private practice of government doctors and ensure that patients are not transferred from government hospitals to private hospitals. The committee said government doctors running private clinics will be monitored at government hospitals during duty hours.

In a hearing on the complaint of S. Karuppasamy of Kovilpatti in Thoothukudi District regarding the incident on November 27, 2018, the Bureau of Medical and Rural Health Services believes that most of the allegations against Dr. C. Prabakar were considered correct. It said at the counter in 2019 that an action was initiated against him under Article 17(b) of the Tamil Nadu Civil Service (Discipline and Appeal) Rules.

According to the complainant, after his wife suffered a burn, she went to a nearby primary health care center, and Dr. Prabakar said he would take 10 days off and suggested that she take herself to a private hospital where he practiced. He charged over Rs 1.1 lakh for her treatment. When asked about treatment, the doctor threatened to inject poison into the patient, and the complainant alleged.

A report from the Medical and Rural Health Services Department “definitely concludes that doctors and nurses are responsible for the death of patients.” Respondents brought up their counter. After carefully reading the records, the Commission said that the Commission’s report held Dr. Prabakar’s abuse of women.

The other respondents were senior surgeon Venkateshwara Sri and nurses Kumareswari and Gurulakshmi, followed by other respondents affiliated with the hospital at Kovilpatti Government Headquarters. The committee dismissed the charges of A. Kamalavasan, then director of medical services.