Cocaine-Addict Malaysian Surgeon Deported Back Home After Losing Medical License
In his trail of drugs and prostitutes, Dr Suresh Nair leaves behind his patients who are now victims of malpractice.
By Mei Mei Chu — 25 Aug 2014, 06:33 PM — Updated about 10 years ago
A Malaysian-born surgeon in Australia has had his medical license revoked, permanent residency cancelled, and will now be deported
Dr Suresh Nair was allowed to continue working as a neurosurgeon at the Nepean Private Hospital despite the NSW Medical Council being aware of his addiction to cocaine since 2004.
Image via dailymail.co.ukThe Daily Mail Australia said the Malaysian-born doctor would now be deported back to his home country after his permanent residency was cancelled. His medical licence was subsequently revoked.
themalaysianinsider.com
Dr Suresh Nair, a neurosurgeon practising in Australia, was known to be a cocaine addict
He has been linked to the death of two young sex workers who both died from cocaine overdose after spending the night at his home
In February 2009, a 23-year-old sex worker, Victoria McIntyre, died of a cocaine overdose after a night at the neurosurgeon's apartment.
Image via dailymail.co.ukIn February 2009, a 23-year-old sex worker, Victoria McIntyre, died of a cocaine overdose after a night at the neurosurgeon's apartment.
themalaysianinsider.com
However, Dr Suresh was arrested in 2010 following the death of a second escort at his home, reported Daily Mail Australia. Nineteen-year-old Suellen Domingues-Zaupa, died after suffering a cardiac arrest from a cocaine overdose.
themalaysianinsider.com
Now, the Australian media are revealing horror stories from his patients who claim that he had mishandled their spinal operations, causing them a lifetime of pain
Horror stories from his patients are emerging in Australian media following reports that Dr Suresh Nair was allowed to continue working as a neurosurgeon at the Nepean Private Hospital in Sydney despite the New South Wales Medical Council being aware of his addiction to cocaine since 2004.
themalaysianinsider.com
The Daily Mail Australia cited one of Dr Suresh's patients Carla Downes, who told the ABC that in her second of three operations, Dr Suresh had operated at the wrong level of her spine, leading to seven years of constant pain and leaving her unable to walk up a flight of stairs.
themalaysianinsider.com
The report also cited another patient, Rhonda Taylor, who told Fairfax Media that her mishandled spinal fusion, performed by Dr Suresh in 2009, had "taken (her) life away".
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The controversy deepens when it was found that the Nepean Private Hospital in Sydney allowed him to continue performing spinal operations despite knowledge of his problem
Dr Suresh Nair worked at the Nepean Private Hospital in Sydney's western suburbs performing delicate operations, but spent much of his time leading a double life.
abc.net.auDr Nair had been on the impaired doctor's program since 2004 after self-reporting a problem with cocaine. However, at the end of 2008, the NSW Medical Board (now the Medical Council) decided it was safe to stop drug testing the neurosurgeon. That decision coincided with some major personal problems and Dr Nair's life began to spiral out of control.
abc.net.auNepean Public Hospital was aware Dr Nair was again using cocaine, and withdrew his clinical privileges. But he was cleared by the NSW Medical Board to work under conditions and on that basis continued to operate at the private hospital next door.
abc.net.auDr Suresh led a double life between practising medicine and spending tens of thousands on prostitutes and drug parties
Between shifts, the Malaysian-born doctor was spending tens of thousands of dollars on marathon sessions with prostitutes and cocaine.
abc.net.auAt the time, Dr Suresh was spending tens of thousands of dollars on prostitutes and hosting small drug parties in his home, according to the ABC.
themalaysianinsider.com
His colleague would describe his surgical decisions as "often bizarre", but Dr Suresh continued to retain his medical certificate
The Daily Mail Australia cited a Fairfax report which said that even his co-workers, fellow neurosurgeons, began expressing doubts at Dr Suresh's ability "to function as a consultant" at this point, with one person describing his surgical decisions as "often bizarre".
themalaysianinsider.com
The expose relates that, while the NSW Medical Board, the Health Care Complaints Commission, the Nepean public hospital and Nepean Private Hospital were all warned about Nair's chronic, continuing addiction over a five-year period, he continued to slip through the cracks and retain his certificate, leaving a trail of crippled victims and shattered lives, right up until his arrest in November 2009, when a second prostitute died in his home, also from a cocaine overdose.
In 2011, Dr Suresh was jailed for four years after pleading guilty to one count of manslaughter and two counts of supplying cocaine
Dr Nair was arrested in 2010 following the death of a second escort at his home. 19-year-old Suellen Domingues-Zaupa, died after suffering a cardiac arrest from a cocaine overdose.
Image via dailymail.co.ukDr Suresh was eventually jailed for four years after he pleaded guilty to one count of manslaughter and two counts of supplying cocaine, the Daily Mail Australia said, citing a joint investigation by the ABC and Fairfax.
themalaysianinsider.com
Dr Suresh was released from prison in July 2014, and will now be sent back to Malaysia, where he has not stayed since he was 10
Patients who the Malaysian-born surgeon operated on have revealed they have were left with life-long problems after his surgeries went wrong.
Image via dailymail.co.ukLast month Nair was released from prison after serving four years after pleading guilty to one count of manslaughter and two counts of supplying cocaine. Immigration Minister Scott Morrison cancelled Nair's permanent residency status and he is now expected to be deported to his native Malaysia, where he has not lived since he was 10.