Medical Arts Centre, Surgeon sued for Mel Sankies’ death

Last Updated on Saturday, 23 August 2014, 1:10 by GxMedia

The private hospital, Medical Arts Centre, and well-known surgeon, Dr. Shaik Amir, have been sued for more than GUY$50 million for allegedly causing the death of Engineer, Melvyn “Mel” Sankies three years ago.

The lawsuit has been brought against the health institution and the doctor by Sankies’ siblings, Geoffrey and Jean Sankies, who are administrators of his estate.

An autopsy revealed that Sankies, 73, died on August 25, 2011 of hypovolaemic shock ( an emergency condition in which severe blood and fluid loss make the heart unable to pump enough blood to the body), the antecedent being perforation of the femoral artery.  He had been hospitalized at Medical Arts where Dr. Amir performed surgery for hernia.

Through their lawyer, Mortimer Coddette, the Sankies want the High Court to award damages and pecuniary compensation in excess of GUY$50 million for damages and injuries suffered by Mel Sankies.

In court papers seen by Demerara Waves, they cite alleged “negligence, carelessness and/or recklessness of their staff by reason of their statutory duties by total mismanagement to the extent of virtually throwing him into the jaws death solely because of negligence and improper treatment given to him while he was a patient before , during and after surgery.”

Medical Arts and Dr. Amir have 10 days within which to respond.

In the Indorsement of Claim, Medical Arts Centre is identified as a medical institution that provided treatment “with all the knowledge and skill that it possesses to bring relief to Mel Sankies’ “medical problem and in this regard engaged the second named as an independent medical contractor to perform surgery on the aforesaid deceased before his death.”

Sankies was long-standing member of the Guyana Association of Professional Engineers (GAPE), President of the Lusignan Golf Club, and Professor at the University of Guyana’s Faculty of Technology.