An issue that surfaces every now and then, yet an issue that stays silent in the media for many months a time, Medical Malpractice and Professional Negligence costs us our lives and inflicts us considerable damage and disability. The cost to society in terms of disability and health care costs, lost income, lost household production and the personal costs of care is innumerable. A study by the Institute of medicine, USA, found that an estimated 98,000 people die in hospitals annually each year due to preventable medical errors in the USA alone. This signals out the dire need for Laws to be implemented to account for those inept medical personnel’s and to hold them responsible for their actions and face the consequences. 
It is very saddening that the Maldives is amongst those countries that have yet to implement a law concerning medical malpractice and professional negligence. This gives much room for incompetent medical personnel to practice without dissent. Various cases of negligence, abuse and malpractice surfaced in the Maldives in the recent months. Many of those that happen in the regional hospitals go unnoticed and uninvestigated. Even if an incompetency case gets filed, the medical personnel usually gets "transferred" rather than the case getting investigated and those responsible held accountable. One such case happened recently in Addu Atoll Regional Hospital.
The scalp of a neonate was cut and injured by an episiotomy scissor during labor when an episiotomy was performed by a specialist of gynecology and obstetrics Dr. Athun. An episiotomy is a surgical incision through the perineum made to enlarge the vagina and assist childbirth. The incident which took place on July 24th 2009 at Hithadhoo Regional hospital and was not investigated despite the complaints of the patient’s family. The family or the husband was not notified of the developed complication during childbirth. The neonate was brought to the family after getting stitched, and the area developed pus days later. This "can lead to brain infection and debilitate the neonate. The skull of the infant is not fully developed and thus an injury such as this can be very dangerous", a doctor mentioned when consulted about the matter.
This incident is just one such case out of many that happened in recent time, yet only few take media attention. It is unwise and unacceptable to make Maldivian hospitals specially those in the atolls to act as mere experimentation units for those that newly enter into the field. Teaching hospital that are affiliated with medical colleges undergo special adaptations where the seniors supervise the newly acquired interns and residents and have special guidelines that Maldivian hospitals lack due to that fact that Maldivian hospitals are not adapted as teaching units to date. Therefore the authorities that employ medical personnel should ensure that the staff is appropriately trained beforehand and should carefully monitor their performance. The establishment of a medical council with power to investigate and prosecute medical cases thus becomes increasingly important.
Medical Professionals are an integral part of the society. Words would fail if to mention their value and services to humanity. To honor this dignified profession with dignity that it rightfully deserves, we have to uproot those that are inept and maintain a check system to uphold its standards. Mistakes can be sometimes inevitable, but mistakes due to negligence, malpractice, abuse and poor performance do need to be investigated and proper actions taken to ensure that these mistakes that can be avoidable do not get repeated.
The scalp of a neonate was cut and injured by an episiotomy scissor during labor when an episiotomy was performed by a specialist of gynecology and obstetrics Dr. Athun. An episiotomy is a surgical incision through the perineum made to enlarge the vagina and assist childbirth. The incident which took place on July 24th 2009 at Hithadhoo Regional hospital and was not investigated despite the complaints of the patient’s family. The family or the husband was not notified of the developed complication during childbirth. The neonate was brought to the family after getting stitched, and the area developed pus days later. This "can lead to brain infection and debilitate the neonate. The skull of the infant is not fully developed and thus an injury such as this can be very dangerous", a doctor mentioned when consulted about the matter.
This incident is just one such case out of many that happened in recent time, yet only few take media attention. It is unwise and unacceptable to make Maldivian hospitals specially those in the atolls to act as mere experimentation units for those that newly enter into the field. Teaching hospital that are affiliated with medical colleges undergo special adaptations where the seniors supervise the newly acquired interns and residents and have special guidelines that Maldivian hospitals lack due to that fact that Maldivian hospitals are not adapted as teaching units to date. Therefore the authorities that employ medical personnel should ensure that the staff is appropriately trained beforehand and should carefully monitor their performance. The establishment of a medical council with power to investigate and prosecute medical cases thus becomes increasingly important.
Medical Professionals are an integral part of the society. Words would fail if to mention their value and services to humanity. To honor this dignified profession with dignity that it rightfully deserves, we have to uproot those that are inept and maintain a check system to uphold its standards. Mistakes can be sometimes inevitable, but mistakes due to negligence, malpractice, abuse and poor performance do need to be investigated and proper actions taken to ensure that these mistakes that can be avoidable do not get repeated.
Professional-negligence is a special area of law. In many instances, professionals and insurers avail the services of law firms to counter the negligence claims against them. It is very important to hire experienced and expert lawyers when it comes to professional-negligence claims.There may be disputes with regards to professional-negligence against any kind of professional, regardless of the nature of his/her job. These disputes can be related to professionals in accounts, architecture, insurance, finance, consultancy or any other field. Professional-negligence comprises of the acts of negligence due to which the job being done is affected. Professional-negligence can be the disobedience of an official law, mistreatment to a customer or negligence in offering proper services. For more details do visit us at Medical negligence.
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