Doctor suspended for medical negligence after boy loses leg to gangrene at Goa facility

An internal committee found acts of medical negligence by Dr Yavanti Gawade. The government issued an order suspending Gawade with immediate effect pending a detailed inquiry by a committee of experts. During suspension, Gawade would not receive remuneration or allowances. The committee also noted that the plaster slab was applied by assisting staff without adequate direct supervision and that reassessment by the treating medical officer was not documented; it suggested that urgent orthopedic consultation or referral could have been considered at the initial stage given the patient’s age and fracture-related risks.

The boy returned to the casualty department with fever, vomiting and drowsiness and was referred to Goa Medical College in Bambolim. The patient later developed edema in the toes, and the affected limb was amputated due to gangrene.

The 11-year-old boy was brought to the Community Health Centre in Valpoi after a fall injured his left leg. An X-ray showed an undisplaced closed fracture of the left fibula. Plaster slab was applied by a Multi-Tasking Staff employee (Suresh) assisting orthopaedic residents from Goa Medical College and acting as an orthopaedic assistant.