Ghaziabad: Doctors in general and gynaecologists in particular are shell shocked at the suicide of a promising gynaecologist in Rajasthan. They are expressing deep anguish and fear of unknown seems to have gripped them. Stressing the risks involved in birthing, they have said such harrowing event will discourage gynaecologists from trying to save serious women during deliveries.
On March 29, a female gynaecologist Archana Sharma working in her own private hospital in Rajasthan’s Dausa district committed suicide as she was stressed over the FIR filed against her under charges of murder based on unproven allegations of medical negligence. In her suicide note, she wrote ‘the woman died due postpartum hemorrhage. I did not commit any mistake. I did not kill anyone…….
Dr Gunjan Gupta Govil, Gynaecologist, IVF specialist at Gunjan IVF World, Indirapuram is highly perturbed at the sad incidence. In a statement, Dr Govil says, ‘Society, people and politicians have to understand that there is a difference between Medical Complications and Medical negligence. Complications can happen during any childbirth. Post-Partum haemorrhage that is heavy bleeding during childbirth and is the leading cause of death of a woman during childbirth. Death due to PPH happens in approximately in 45 women out of 1lac deliveries. Though not so Common but it still happens and is a KNOWN COMPLICATION. The incidence has come down because of both better trained doctors and better Healthcare facilities, but still, nobody is God to control life and death. If it was true then our family members would be immortal.
Raising a number of questions, she further said, ‘See the patient takes a decision to go to a doctor as a conscious decision. If the doctor is qualified, and has proper facilities and has managed the patient then we need to understand that it is not negligence. Why should the doctors be subjected to media and political trial? Someone answers me what does a doctor get from loss of a patient but complications will occur as it is part of human bodies’ reaction. Also is there no responsibility of the family who got her pregnant 4 times at the age of 22years and 3 caesarians? Is it the doctors mistake that she accepted a complicated case who had been rejected at other places? Also, all this generates so much stress among doctors. Why cannot a fair medical board be made if there are doubts.
Dr Gunjan makes a fervent appeal to people and society saying ‘PLEASE TRUST US. We doctors put heart and soul and effort to keep our patients safe and healthy. We have not backed out in Covid leave aside a situation in which patient is having a complication
Dr Neha Tripathi, Gynaecologist, Infertility Consultant, Indira IVF, RDC, Ghaziabad is aghast at the incidence. She says, ‘The suicide of a promising doctor is heart wrenching. A death due to medical complications is attributable to the illness and not the doctor. The mistrust between the society and medical fraternity has to be remedied or else doctors will start shying away from emergencies and high-risk cases. Doctor are also human beings and deserve to be treated as such
Dr Divya, Gynaecologist, IVF Specialist, Cloud Nine Hospital, Noida says, ‘It is really very unfortunate that Dr. Archana Sharma committed suicide. The patient died due to postpartum hemorrhage, which is an age-old complication causing maternal death. Every doctor just tris to perform their duties honestly, so it’s not right to blame a doctor without any proper reason. It is high time that we understand a difference between medical negligence and a real complication. The best we can do right now is to wish that Dr. Archana Sharma’s soul rest in peace and her family may find strength to go through this difficult time.
