[Singapore] - Dr Haridass Ramdass (medical degree from India registered in 1974), charged in court for causing the death of a patient.

[UltimaOnline]

Doctor charged for causing patient's death graduates from Indian univ no longer recognised by SMC​

The media reported today (15 Oct) that a medical doctor, Dr Haridass Ramdass, has been charged in court for causing the death of a patient.
Dr Haridass who is said to be a Singaporean, operated from a clinic in Little India. He is accused of prescribing 10 tablets of methotrexate (MTX) without first arranging for his patient, Mr Savarimuthu Arul Xavier, to undergo the required tests before prescription.
MTX is a chemotherapy agent and immune system suppressant. The dosage he prescribed was also not in line with established guidelines.
Mr Xavier was treated by Dr Haridass on 24 Nov 2014, when he was given an injection of dexamethasone, a steroid used to treat ailments such as allergic or breathing disorders and skin conditions. In addition to MTX, Mr Xavier was also prescribed prednisolone – a medication for treating certain disorders and conditions including cancer – and chlorpheniramine, which is used to treat the symptoms of allergic conditions.
The “rash act” of prescribing MTX is alleged to have caused Mr Xavier to develop neutropenia, when the body does not have enough neutrophils, an important white blood cell that fights infection. He also developed mucositis, a complication of some cancer therapies in which the lining of the digestive system becomes inflamed.
Mr Xavier was said to have contracted “an invasive fungal infection” that led to his death 16 days later after seeing Dr Haridass. The case is apparently a first in which a doctor is charged with causing death by a rash act under Section 304A(a) of the Penal Code.
Karnataka University’s medical degree no longer recognised in Singapore
According to records on the Singapore Medical Council (SMC) website, Dr Haridass obtained his medical degree from India’s Karnataka University in 1971 but was registered with the SMC in Singapore in 1974.
The last renewal of his medical licence was in Jan last year, which would end in Dec this year. This means that Dr Haridass can still continue to legally practise his medicine.

And according to SMC’s List of Registrable Basic Medical Qualifications, Karnataka University is not named inside the list which meant that anyone who graduates from Karnataka University with a medical degree today would not be recognised in Singapore, and as such, cannot practise medicine in Singapore. Perhaps Dr Haridass’ degree might have been recognised by SMC in the 70s.
At the moment, only medical degrees from 8 Indian universities are recognized by the Singapore government. Interestingly, one Indian university was quietly removed from the list 10 years ago in 2009:

Meanwhile, Dr Haridass is currently out on a $10,000 bail and his case is scheduled to be heard again in two weeks’ time.

https://www.theonlinecitizen.com/20...from-indian-univ-no-longer-recognised-by-smc/

 

[Balls2U]

This is a pure case of medical negligence on his part. His medical degree from an unrecognised university is of no relevance here since SMC admitted him to practice back in the 70s.

 

[Rogue Trader]

This is a pure case of medical negligence on his part. His medical degree from an unrecognised university is of no relevance here since SMC admitted him to practice back in the 70s.

Yah lor. His Karnataka uni degree would not be recognised only from after the rule change. Anyway he is at the age to retire liao

 

[gingerlyn]

We should ask SMC to publish the list of Singapore doctors who graduated from India

 

[Loofydralb]

Obviously SMC covering their own backside and throwing the doctor under the bus.

 

[nayr69sg]

The doctor was trying his best to help the patient.

That's the thing with medicine. You try hard. Push to get the patient results. Try to save them some money by not doing some tests. All for what? Got medal? Got bonus? Get paid more? Nope.

Neutropenia. This can happen to anyone lah. And many drugs have this possible adverse effect. Methimazole/Carbimazole is one common one used for hyperthyroidism.

Checking for WBC count with differential can establish what the baseline is. Maybe the guy already had low neutrophils? But if normal the neutropenia can still set in. And he could still have died from the fulminant fungosis.

Anyway reading these cases you realize that as a GP best to just be very safe. Safety is more important than getting patients results. Do no harm. Follow guidelines.

Medicine is one of those fields where you DO NOT think out of the box or go that extra mile in terms of treatment to get patients results. Don't do it.

Sadly it is better to have followed all the guidelines and done what every other doctor would do, what every textbook would say and have the patient die, than to try to think out of the box , do things different, push the limits, be aggressive in approach, and help the patient recover and live. Because if your patient lives because you did all that, you can get censured and disciplined for not following proper guidelines and protocol!

 

[glockman]

Doctor charged for causing patient's death graduates from Indian univ no longer recognised by SMC​

View attachment 121264

The media reported today (15 Oct) that a medical doctor, Dr Haridass Ramdass, has been charged in court for causing the death of a patient.
Dr Haridass who is said to be a Singaporean, operated from a clinic in Little India. He is accused of prescribing 10 tablets of methotrexate (MTX) without first arranging for his patient, Mr Savarimuthu Arul Xavier, to undergo the required tests before prescription.
MTX is a chemotherapy agent and immune system suppressant. The dosage he prescribed was also not in line with established guidelines.
Mr Xavier was treated by Dr Haridass on 24 Nov 2014, when he was given an injection of dexamethasone, a steroid used to treat ailments such as allergic or breathing disorders and skin conditions. In addition to MTX, Mr Xavier was also prescribed prednisolone – a medication for treating certain disorders and conditions including cancer – and chlorpheniramine, which is used to treat the symptoms of allergic conditions.
The “rash act” of prescribing MTX is alleged to have caused Mr Xavier to develop neutropenia, when the body does not have enough neutrophils, an important white blood cell that fights infection. He also developed mucositis, a complication of some cancer therapies in which the lining of the digestive system becomes inflamed.
Mr Xavier was said to have contracted “an invasive fungal infection” that led to his death 16 days later after seeing Dr Haridass. The case is apparently a first in which a doctor is charged with causing death by a rash act under Section 304A(a) of the Penal Code.
Karnataka University’s medical degree no longer recognised in Singapore
According to records on the Singapore Medical Council (SMC) website, Dr Haridass obtained his medical degree from India’s Karnataka University in 1971 but was registered with the SMC in Singapore in 1974.
The last renewal of his medical licence was in Jan last year, which would end in Dec this year. This means that Dr Haridass can still continue to legally practise his medicine.

And according to SMC’s List of Registrable Basic Medical Qualifications, Karnataka University is not named inside the list which meant that anyone who graduates from Karnataka University with a medical degree today would not be recognised in Singapore, and as such, cannot practise medicine in Singapore. Perhaps Dr Haridass’ degree might have been recognised by SMC in the 70s.
At the moment, only medical degrees from 8 Indian universities are recognized by the Singapore government. Interestingly, one Indian university was quietly removed from the list 10 years ago in 2009:

Meanwhile, Dr Haridass is currently out on a $10,000 bail and his case is scheduled to be heard again in two weeks’ time.

https://www.theonlinecitizen.com/20...from-indian-univ-no-longer-recognised-by-smc/

Dr Haridass Ramdass? Hairy Ass Dumb Ass? Got this kind of name?

 

[nayr69sg]

Dr Haridass Ramdass? Hairy Ass Dumb Ass? Got this kind of name?

Dr Hairy The Ass Ram The Ass.

 

[glockman]

Dr Hairy The Ass Ram The Ass.

OK, that's the literal translation.

 

[tyudm]

Hired killer charged but the hirer go scott -free

 

[nayr69sg]

Hired killer charged but the hirer go scott -free

SMC will be involved in disciplining the doctor also.

 

[Peace Maker]

I believed he also never expect that to happen. He made a serious mistake by not following standard protocol & has to live with regrets for the remaining of his life. Hope the death patient's family had forgiven him, at least he lives with a lighten burden in his heart.

 

[A Singaporean]

Stop recognising ALL qualifications from India.

 

[nayr69sg]

For all we know, maybe Dr Ramdass was well known to help "cure" some skin condition with his treatment regime and done so very successfully for many patients.

That's the thing with medicine. One mistake and that's it.

It is like working with a gun held to your head. You do well 10000000000 times. and then 1 goes wrong........jia lat liao.

Unless you are Pfizer and it is covid of course.

 

[plzhelpme]

Dr Haridass Ramdass? Hairy Ass Dumb Ass? Got this kind of name?

knn
chao turtle

hey BOT,
your algorithm tolerance level of +/-
may be too wide
to produce this humourous and funny concoction
buy anyway i do enjoy your creativity
so, Mods, no need to change his circuitboards or any fine tuning

 

[Leckmichamarsch]

knn
chao turtle

hey BOT,
your algorithm tolerance level of +/-
may be too wide
to produce this humourous and funny concoction
buy anyway i do enjoy your creativity
so, Mods, no need to change his circuitboards or any fine tuning

10 sigma

 

[millim6868]

Long n jinx should use him as families doctor so as to show support for ceca

 

[vamjok]

The doctor was trying his best to help the patient.

That's the thing with medicine. You try hard. Push to get the patient results. Try to save them some money by not doing some tests. All for what? Got medal? Got bonus? Get paid more? Nope.

Neutropenia. This can happen to anyone lah. And many drugs have this possible adverse effect. Methimazole/Carbimazole is one common one used for hyperthyroidism.

Checking for WBC count with differential can establish what the baseline is. Maybe the guy already had low neutrophils? But if normal the neutropenia can still set in. And he could still have died from the fulminant fungosis.

Anyway reading these cases you realize that as a GP best to just be very safe. Safety is more important than getting patients results. Do no harm. Follow guidelines.

Medicine is one of those fields where you DO NOT think out of the box or go that extra mile in terms of treatment to get patients results. Don't do it.

Sadly it is better to have followed all the guidelines and done what every other doctor would do, what every textbook would say and have the patient die, than to try to think out of the box , do things different, push the limits, be aggressive in approach, and help the patient recover and live. Because if your patient lives because you did all that, you can get censured and disciplined for not following proper guidelines and protocol!

doc... think out of the box is my role lol....once reach your level cannot already lol..

that why i know a lot doc go do clinical research related work as its less boring although its like asking for trouble.

 

[Thick Face Black Heart]

The Singapore Govt has grossly mismanaged the situation.

It looks like some people will be paying with their lives, for the mistakes made by this Govt.

Sad

 

[mojito]

For all we know, maybe Dr Ramdass was well known to help "cure" some skin condition with his treatment regime and done so very successfully for many patients.

That's the thing with medicine. One mistake and that's it.

It is like working with a gun held to your head. You do well 10000000000 times. and then 1 goes wrong........jia lat liao.

Unless you are Pfizer and it is covid of course.

Make patient sign indemnity... With blood.