ThePakistanMedical &DentalCouncil(PMDC)hasinitiated action against a Pakistani spine surgeon facing allegations of medical malpractice in the USA.
The PMDC took up the issue after the US authorities declared Prof Dr Abubkar Atig Durrani a fugitive and launched a hunt for him after he fled to Pakistan following his alleged involvement in medical malpractice there.
The US authorities got alerted after surfacing of hundreds of cases filed during the last several years against Dr Durrani in the courts, leveling allegations of med-ical malpractice based upon the actions of Dr Durrani in America.
The PMDC was informed that the plaintiffs in the US courts had alleged that Dr Durrani deceived and defrauded patients by performing or authorising hundreds of spinal surgeries he knew to be unnecessary, an of ficial told Dawn.
While in Ohio, Dr Durrani billed Medicare over $11 million in less than three years, that amounted to about $300,000 per month, making him the biggest orthopedic Medicare biller in the states, the PMDC was told by the US authorities.
In addition to the federal charges, Durrani is also being sued by more than 500 former patients.Mr Durrani`s case came to limelight in Pakistan after the PMDC came to know that he had started practice at an elite hospital situated along the Lahore Canal near Johar Town, the of ficial said.
Taking into account the complaints against him, the PMDC called a meeting of its disciplinary committee on Oct 23, he said.
Through an official letter, the committee sought from Dr Durrani a detailed reply.
It also kept sending Dr Durrani reminders, asking him to either appear before the committee or submit a detailed reply in his defence.
The official said the action was initiated to remove him from theregistered medical practitioners` list permanently under PMDC Ordinance 1962.
On failure to submit a reply, the PMDC issued to Dr Durrani the last written warning on Dec 14 to initiate process of de-registration.
A copy of the letter is available with Dawn.
The private hospital`s board of directors chairman Dr Javed Asghar told Dawn the facility had stopped Dr Durrani from practice there following the PMDC action.
`On receiving a letter from the PMDC, the hospital has requested Dr Durrani to bring a renewed certificate of registration issued by the council to continue practice in our health facility`, Dr Asghar said.
