Pune: Sassoon Hospital Panel Flags Lapses in Medical Care Leading to Woman’s Death, Seeks More Time to Clarify on Negligence

Pune, 19th April 2025: A six-member committee at Sassoon General Hospital has raised serious concerns over the handling of a high-risk pregnancy case that ended in the death of 33-year-old Tanisha Bhise last month. The panel observed that multiple hospitals involved in her treatment—including Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital, Indira IVF Centre, Surya Hospital, and Manipal Hospital—failed to provide timely or adequate care, although it stopped short of explicitly stating medical negligence.

The committee’s internal report, submitted to the Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER) and the Pune police earlier this week, suggests that Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital should have admitted Bhise for emergency care rather than referring her elsewhere. Bhise was taken to the hospital on March 28, but was reportedly asked to deposit ₹10 lakh for admission. She was subsequently shifted to Surya Hospital, where she delivered twins on March 29. Her condition deteriorated after childbirth, leading to her transfer to Manipal Hospital, where she died on March 31.

“We have identified multiple lapses across the chain of treatment,” said a senior member of the Sassoon panel, speaking on condition of anonymity. “The IVF centre went ahead with the procedure despite medical indicators suggesting the pregnancy would be high-risk. Surya Hospital should have referred her to a better-equipped facility if they couldn’t handle such complications. And the absence of a postmortem by Manipal Hospital is also questionable.”

The panel reiterated previous observations made in an earlier health department inquiry, which had also highlighted the need for Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital to admit the patient immediately and follow “golden hour” protocols for emergency care.

Regarding police inquiries into possible medical negligence, the panel member said, “We’ve been asked to specifically point out whether negligence occurred and who was responsible. Given that Friday was a holiday and a long weekend follows, we’ll need a few more days to carefully draft our response.”

While the report outlines significant shortcomings, Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar noted that it does not yet include any actionable recommendations against Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital or its treating doctor, Dr. Shushrut Ghaisas. He has requested the panel to clarify those aspects further.

A senior doctor at Sassoon Hospital familiar with the committee’s findings said, “Tanisha was made to wait for hours instead of being stabilized. This delay may have critically affected her outcome.”

The panel also took note of the IVF centre’s decision to proceed with treatment despite Bhise’s medical history, which included both ovaries being removed in 2022 due to cysts. “Given her age and prior health issues, her pregnancy was always going to be high-risk,” the panel member said.

Indira IVF Centre had earlier said: “The patient approached us a year ago for fertility treatment. Her earlier surgeries were known, but she did not report any chemotherapy or related complications. All routine investigations were conducted and no additional risks were identified at that time. The IVF process was successful and she conceived.”

On the matter of postmortem, the Sassoon panel found that Manipal Hospital did not carry out the procedure. “In a case like this, a postmortem could have been crucial in determining the exact cause of death,” a senior Sassoon Hospital official said.