Eight doctors have been arrested for medical malpractice in western India in connection with a hepatitis B outbreak that has claimed the lives of 36 people, and sickened at least 100 more.

According to reports, the outbreak was caused by a combination of shoddy medical procedures by the physicians including using the same syringe on multiple patients, improper disposal of medical waste and straight negligence.

If the doctors are convicted, they could face sentences between two years and life in prison.

Hepatitis B is a disease of the liver that can lead to liver damage and even cancer.  A mass immunization drive has begun in the Modasa district of Gujarat, the area where the infections and deaths occurred.  Those who have been infected and are fighting the disease are currently undergoing treatment.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, February 24th, 2009 at 11:25 pm and is filed under Medical Malpractice. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.