Ayurveda doc fined Rs 7 Lakh for causing patient's death with allopathic medicines

Her eightyearlong battle for justice ended on a victorious note on Monday when the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission upheld an order passed by the state commission for a fine of Rs 7 lakh to be imposed on the Kandivli based ayurvedic doctor for deficiency in service The amount will be paid as compensation to Pratibha u00a0 A taste of his own medicine Inset Dr Singh prescribed drugs like Betnesol Decadron and Neurobion although he only had knowledge of ayurvedic healing On August 20 2004 Panddurang Gamre the deceased who worked as deputy superintendent with the BMC approached Dr R R Singh who ran an ayurvedic clinic Gamre was accompanied by Pratibha The victim told the doctor about a searing pain in his legs According to Pratibha Singh told her that her husbandrsquos illness was serious and could lead to paralysis The couple was asked to pay Rs 2700 for tests and medication after which Gamre was admitted to Singhrsquos clinic Unsure about the proceedings Pratibha requested that Singh discharge her husband as he could avail of free treatment in a civic hospital being a BMC employee Singh however convinced her against the move That night Gamre was left under the care of Singhrsquos compounder Gamrersquos condition deteriorated at about 3 am and the compounder instead of summoning Singh administered saline and medication prescribed by him Gamre died within hours Legal battle A police complaint was lodged and in 2006 after which Singh was convicted by the Sewree fast track court under the Maharashtra Medical Practitioners Act The Act bars doctors trained in ayurvedic healing from prescribing allopathic drugsSingh was then released on probation and ordered to pay Rs 25000 as compensation to Pratibha Feeling that the meagre amount did not compensate for the loss of her husband Pratibha went on to file a consumer complaint in 2007 On March 9 last year the Mumbai suburban districtrsquos Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum rejected Pratibharsquos complaint citing the fact that Pratibha had already received Rs 25000 as compensation Pratibha then appealed against the order to the statersquos consumer commission which ordered that a fine of Rs 7 lakh be levied on Singh Before the National Consumer Commission Singhrsquos lawyer argued that the post mortem reports suggested that Gamre had died of a heart attack He also pointed out that the Sessions Court had acquitted the doctor of culpable homicide However the Commission upheld the state commissionrsquos order after considering medical reports and opinions The bench comprising members JM Malik and Suresh Chandra observed ldquoThe condition of the deceased was alarming Singh should not have admitted him in his clinic He should have advised the patient to move to some renowned hospital It is difficult to fathom how and why drugs like Betnesol Decadron and Neurobion were prescribed without consulting any allopathic doctor It is difficult to understand how he switched over to allopathy without having any knowledge of the same A doctor should play with peoplersquos lives for his personal gainrdquou00a0