20000322

Body to probe

death at JPMC

needs scrutiny

KARACHI: Attempts to hush up the death of Arif Ghulam Qadir Baloch the 19-year-old boy on operation table at ENT Department, Jinnah Post Graduate Medical Centre (JPMC) on March 9 turned all the more evident as the recently constituted committee to probe the issue comprised two of the personnel themselves involved in the incident.

Details reveal that Arif Ghulam Qadir Baloch s/o Abdul Qadir Baloch, resident of Ilyas Goth, C-1, Liaquatabad admitted at JPMC on March 6 for routine nasal surgery was to be operated under supervision of a senior surgeon from ENT department.

The surgeon who owing to reasons was absent from his duty as the anaesthesia was administered to the deceased followed by an operation by a trainee doctor, has been appointed as a member of the committee.

Moreover, since "Xylocahe" the local anaesthetic injection, reportedly the actual cause of Arif's death, administered to him by a junior anaesthesiologist, without performing the prerequisite test in violation of set rules also makes the role of head of anaesthesiology department questionable. Appointment of the latter as another member of the same committee again makes the criterion for investigation beyond comprehension.

It must be mentioned that at the time of incident none of the senior surgeons or doctors including those with their names in the surgery schedule for March 9 were available even within JPMC premises.

As a practice the emotionally charged relatives receiving the news that Arif Qadir Baloch died instantly on the operation table, maltreated the juniors they got hold of.

The team established by JPMC Director to investigate the incident include Dr Kamaluddin Khan Dr Nasir Jakhrani and Dr Seemi Jamali.ÑAPP