Doctor facing charges

A Yorkton gynecologist is facing charges from the province's College of Physicians and Surgeons over allegations of unprofessional conduct.

Dr. Mohammed N. Haque was charged at the most recent meeting of the college's council last month in response to two complaints from patients dating back about four years.

According to reporting from The Leader Post, one of the complaints comes from a woman alleging that Haque performed an operation on her without doing an adequate assessment and without adequately informing her of the nature of the procedure. The operation, says the complainant, was different from the one she was expecting and resulted in a reduced vagina size and painful intercourse.

The second case revolves around allegations that the gynecologist made sexual comments to a patient, touched her breasts, and commented on their size during an appointment.

Dr. Haque, who received his medical degree in Pakistan and has been licensed in Canada since 1988, denies both allegations.

In the first case, argues the doctor, the patient "signed twice" to provide her consent for the procedure and was given all of the standard opportunities to decline.

"When you come for the day for the operation, you already know. The nurses ask, the anesthetist asks, and when they take you inside the room, they ask again."

In the second case, Haque says that he had a witness with him at the time who can verify that he did nothing inappropriate.

"There was a woman present with me, so that's a false accusation."

Dr. Karen Shaw, registrar for the College of Physicians and Surgeons, says that a date has not been set for Dr. Haque's disciplinary hearing. Haque must first find legal counsel to defend him, and a hearing committee must be assembled.

"If there are charges that are proven, the matter is then sent back to the council of the college, which is the governing body of the college, and council sets the penalty," explains Shaw.

Penalties in cases of unprofessional conduct "may range from a reprimand to a revocation of license depending on the nature of the proven charges," says Shaw.

In the meantime, Dr. Haque will continue to practice medicine in Yorkton. He has never been disciplined by the college in the past.