After 2 deaths, 2 doctors among 5 booked for ‘inessential angioplasties’ on PMJAY beneficiaries in Ahmedabad hospital

Following the death of two PMJAY beneficiaries at a private hospital in Ahmedabad hours after angioplasty, a First Information Report (FIR) filed by the Gujarat government in the case recently has alleged that the deceased did not require the procedure in the first place.

Mahesh Girdhar Barot (52) and Nagar Moti Senma (75) of Mehsana district died on Nov 11 night, a few hours after they were picked up for the procedure, along with a few others, from their village following a health check-up camp.

Meanwhile, police have booked five people from the hospital, including the chairman, in the case. The Gujarat government has ordered that Khyati Multispeciality Hospital be de-empanelled from the scheme.

Surgeries were conducted on seven persons from Borisana village.

The medical investigators found a vast difference between the hospital’s medical reports and the patients' angiography CDs.

FIR filed at Vastrapur police station stated that while the hospital reports showed that Barot had 80% blockage in his mid-left circumflex artery, the angiography CD showed no blockage at all.

Further, against the hospital’s claim of 90% blockage in Barot’s mid-right circumflex artery, the angiography showed only a 30-40% blockage.
In the case of the other deceased, Senma, the FIR stated that while hospital records showed a 90% blockage in the proximal and mid segments of the left anterior descending (LAD) artery, the angiography CD showed 80% blockage in the mid-section and 50% blockage in the proximal section.

Further, against the hospital’s claim of 90% blockage in the right coronary artery, the angiography CD was proof that there was no blockage at all.
The FIR, based on the findings of medical investigators alleged that the hospital and its authorities had not taken consent to perform angiography or angioplasty on the patients.

Also, the hospital management was found negligent in the post-operative care of these patients. The FIR further alleged that the surgeries were carried out to defraud the PMJAY scheme and make illicit financial gains.

This FIR, filed based on a complaint by Dr Prakash Ishwarlal Mehta, the in-charge CDMO cum Civil Surgeon at GMERS Sola Civil Hospital, on behalf of the Gujarat government, booked the five accused, including Hospital Chairman Kartik Jashu Patel, one Rajshri Pradeep Kothari, CEO Chirag Hirasingh Rajput, Cardiologist Dr Prashant Vazirani, and Bariatric Surgeon Dr Sanjay Mulji Patolia. They have been booked under BNS sections 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 110 (attempt to commit culpable homicide), 336(2) (forgery), 336(3) (forgery with the intention to use it to cheat someone), 318 (cheating), 340(1) (using forged documents as genuine), 340(2) (knowingly using forged documents as genuine) and 61 (criminal conspiracy).

Meanwhile, two more FIRs against these accused were filed at Kadi police station in Mehsana district, where Borisana village is located. While Jairam Girdhar Barot, the elder brother of deceased Mahesh was the complainant in one FIR, Kadi Inspector PL Vaghela was quoted as saying that Praveen, the younger son of deceased Senma, is the complainant in the other FIR.

Both these FIRs alleged that the deceased persons were operated upon without cause and that the doctors and hospital officials had taken “forced consent” from them. They also alleged that the hospital had done so to obtain illegal gains from the PMJAY scheme. In both these FIRs, the five accused were booked under the same sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

Inquiry committee

The last rites of Barot and Senma were conducted in their village on Nov 13. State health minister Rushikesh Patel, who returned from campaigning for the Bharatiya Janata Paraty (BJP) in the impending Assembly elections in Maharashtra, chaired a review meeting in Gandhinagar was quoted as saying, “None of the people responsible for this incident should be spared and the state government should take strict action against the owners, managers, and doctors of this hospital.”

Addressing a press conference on Nov 13, Dhananjay Dwivedi, the Principal Secretary of Health said the health department had formed an inquiry committee comprising a cardiologist from UNMICRC, experts from GMERS Sola Civil Hospital, and SAFU (State Anti-Fraud Unit).

The committee’s report highlighted deficiencies in the procedures followed at the hospital.

“The committee found criminal actions and medical negligence, and thus, Khyati Hospital has been permanently blacklisted as per PMJAY-MA (Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana – Mukhyamantri Amrutam) guidelines. The doctor attached to Khyati Hospital cannot work in any other hospital in the state. If the owners, trustees, or others from Khyati Hospital are associated with any other hospitals, the records of those hospitals will also be investigated for any irregularities under PMJAY.” said Dwivedi,

He added, “The Gujarat Medical Council will be instructed to take necessary action against the doctor involved in this incident. Cardiology cases carried out earlier at Khyati Hospital will also be investigated.”

Meanwhile, the five other patients on whom the surgery was performed were either discharged or left the hospital premises against medical advice by 6 pm on Nov 12, Borisana Sarpanch Mitesh Patel was quoted as saying.

On Nov 13, the Ahmedabad City Police escorted them and 10 others to the UN Mehta Institute of Cardiology and Research Centre (UNMICRC) in Ahmedabad for checkups, confirmed Dr Jasmin Patel, the Resident Medical Officer of the state’s largest cardiology hospital, located in Medicity campus.

The patients were quoted as saying that their condition had worsened.

The public health division of the Gujarat health department has reportedly suspended at least five hospitals in as many districts for irregularities in the PMJAY scheme during past years.