Indian doctor jailed in UK over patient's death
An Indian doctor on deputation in Britain has been jailed for two-and-a-half years for man slaughter after wrongly diagnosing a patient who later died. Bala Kovvali, 64, was found guilty of "criminal negligence" for the "wholly preventable death" of Andre Fellows in June, 2009, at Sheffield Crown Court, yesterday.
Kovvali ignored the classic signs of diabetes-related poisonous acids building up in 42-year-old Fellows and diagnosed him as "depressed with a headache".
A test would have alerted the doctor to raised blood-sugar levels and it is "virtually certain" Fellows would have survived with an insulin injection and rehydration, the court was told.
"It was criminal negligence and a wholly preventable death followed," said Judge Roger Keen.
"You have devoted your working life to caring for others. I have seen glowing references as to your competence, empathy and thoughtfulness. It is a tragedy for you that this brought about an end to your career, destroyed your good character and your ability to work in this country. However, the nature of your offending is too serious for anything other than a custodial sentence," the judge said.
According to a Daily Mail report, Kovvali was based in India but flew to Britain to work every summer for two or three months for the UK-wide doctors' deputising service Prime care.
He qualified as a doctor in India in 1973, completed his
training before becoming a general practitioner and was based in Sheffield between 1981 and 1988.
He was arrested in the US last year and extradited after a Sheffield coroner had adjourned
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