Patiala: The Punjab State Human Rights Commission (PSHRC) has recommended departmental action against two doctors from Sangrur Civil Hospital for alleged medical negligence that may have contributed to the death of a road accident victim in 2022.
Gurpreet Singh, a resident of Sangrur, sustained injuries in a road accident on October 26, 2022, and was initially treated at Dhuri Civil Hospital. He was later referred to Sangrur Civil Hospital, where he died the following day on October 27.
His father, Charan Singh, filed a complaint alleging that the doctors failed to properly assess and treat critical injuries, ignoring crucial symptoms that could have altered the outcome.
While earlier medical board inquiries did not find conclusive evidence of gross negligence, the PSHRC—under the leadership of Chairperson Justice Sant Parkash—carried out an independent investigation led by the commission’s registrar.
“The explanation that the patient did not complain of chest pain is hardly satisfactory. In cases of trauma, it is the primary duty of a medical officer to thoroughly assess for both visible and hidden injuries,” the commission stated in its report.
The inquiry found that the two doctors involved exhibited a “casual and negligent” approach to diagnosis and treatment. Although the commission did not label the case as criminal negligence, it highlighted that the medical examination was severely deficient.
As a result, the Punjab Health Department Secretary has been directed to initiate disciplinary proceedings against the two doctors in question.
This case raises renewed concerns over the standard of trauma care in public hospitals and the need for stringent medical accountability mechanisms.
