A first-year resident doctor at Sion Hospital, suffering from a panic attack, ran away from a busy ward last Tuesday, unleashing a chain of events that ended in the death of a patient. Waman Zare, 65, a senior citizen from Bhandup, caught in the bizarre turn of events, died within 15 minutes of a minor procedure to drain fluid from his lungs that was carried out by the replacement doctor. The family of Zare, alleged that the procedure was carried out in haste, without their consent or supervision of a senior doctor. An informal internal investigation has revealed that the doctor had punctured the left lung instead of the affected right, sending the patient into a cardiac shock.
Authorities at Sion Hospital confirmed the incident, but no inquiry has been ordered yet. Acting dean Dr. N D Moulick said it was a case of "human error" and not something attributable to stress or work pressure.…
