The suspension of an obstetrician-gynaecologist (OB-GYN), who was hired for maternity services at the Government Hospital in Mayiladuthurai, in connection with the death of a newborn has drawn the ire of government doctors’ associations and a section of doctors on social media.
The baby died a few days after birth. The Service Doctors and Post Graduates Association (SDPGA) and Tamil Nadu Medical Officers Association (TNMOA) have demanded that the Joint Director (JD) of Health Services, who placed the doctor under suspension following protest by the family members and relatives alleging medical negligence, to withdraw the order.
To address the gap in the availability of specialists, the National Health Mission, Tamil Nadu, has a scheme to hire specialists — OB-GYNs, paediatricians, and anaethetists — for Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (CEmONC) centres and non-CEmONC centres.
The SDPGA, in a statement, said going beyond the fact that a doctor engaged in this manner could not be placed under suspension, the action by the JD would set a wrong example and create fear among OB-GYNs. While the newborn’s death was disheartening, the doctor had taken efforts to deliver the child alive while ensuring that the mother was safe. In addition, shoulder dystocia, where the baby’s shoulders get trapped after the head in delivered, which occurred during the process, could cause difficulty, the association said.
Already, doctors are hesitant to work in CEmONC centres, resulting in more vacant posts in obstetrics and gynaecology when compared to other departments, the association said. P. Saminathan, SDPGA’s president, said such knee-jerk reactions could further impact a department that was already facing a shortage of manpower.
The TNMOA, in a statement, condemned the JD’s decision to place the doctor under suspension without conducting an inquiry. Already, OB-GYNs were being engaged for special purposes as the number of doctors working in CEmONC centres was inadequate, and such an action would cause confusion among doctors. The district administration should have held talks to pacify the protesters, the association said.
Published - November 12, 2024 08:29 pm IST
