Medical mistakes are one of the biggest mistakes caused due to the negligence on the parts of doctors, nurse, relatives or patient itself either through the wrong intake of medicine or overdose or else. There are reports that a wrong patient's surgery was carried out in Bharatpur, Nepal and it was a big hue and cry once revealed. Our teacher told us that during his operation his doctor left inside the scissors (in Teaching Hospital of Tribhuvan University @ Maharajgunj, Kathmandu, Nepal ) and he had to suffer a severe pain until it was re-diagnosed and removed from abdomen.
We were thinking that this happened in developing countries where there is much negligence in parts from the so revered medical practice. Doctors are getting life time license for practice and the money minded nature has prevailed over the noble cause to serve the needy patients. But it is interesting that even in the developed countries like USA similar problems have occurred. Each year about quarter of million (250,000) people died and millions get injured due to the of medical mistakes in USA alone. It is said to be the 6th biggest Killer (5th place is taken by accident).
Some common medical mistakes are:
- Wrong treating of patients (due to similar name or else)
- Surgical gifts (like scissors or cotton left in organ after operation)
- Fake doctors
- Emergency treatment delay
- Air bubbles in blood
- Wrong medication/drugs
- Wrong treatment of parts (like medication or surgery)
- Infection infestation (Hospital infection like by doctor/nurse: no hand washing by them before treatment)
- Waking up during operation
- Power shortage or machinery breakup during operation
There are many ways to prevent the medical errors like proper licensing system (for medical occupation and hospital), informed and proactive patients and other required check and balance system. More than this there are doctors who just do anythings for the sake of money. In India, there are several stories surfacing out that the unwanted surgeries are carried out to remove the fresh organ like kidney from the healthy patients to be sold into black market for organ transplant. Similarly, illegal sex selection abortion is in practice due to the unethical practice by medical professionals.This has twisted the sex ratio (male to female ratio) that in many parts of India there are problems of being bachelor due to the lack of girls. These are very bad practice done by the doctors and their partners for the sake of money. This should be punished with the maximum penalty with de-registration of medical license of doctors for lifetime affect.
In countries like South Korea, where preference for boy is still strong, to ward off the unnecessary abortion government introduced ban on doctors to reveal sex of fetus and other social and economic measure to lift the girls status. Those doctors who violate this will be stripped of license and this has very good impact on overall sex ratio of country. Another idea is to put the medical malpractice into check by lawsuit and legal punishment. According to University of Pennsylvania law professor Tom Bakert, USA has an epidemic of medical malpractice and very few lawsuits. Laws are made to protect the needy and weaker section of society. If people have little faith on the system, there will be situation where people will take law into hand and do whatever s/he finds good which is not good for anyone in broader perspective. In my opinion concerted efforts from all concerned can save life property and stress associated with medical mistakes/malpractice around the world. Education and responsible global citizen can avoid the tragedy associated with medical mistakes/practice.
Posts
