Probe indicts, Haryana to book Fortis

Sushil Manav

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 6

The Haryana Government will lodge an FIR against Fortis hospital, Gurugram, for “causing death by negligence” of seven-year-old Adya Singh, who died of dengue on September 14.

The government will also write to the Medical Council of India (MCI) for initiating proceedings against the doctors responsible.

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Health Minister Anil Vij today said the inquiry by a three-member panel of the Health Department found serious irregularities, unethical practices and lapses in the diagnostic protocol on part of the hospital.

He said the state would get a criminal case registered for “causing death by negligence” under Section 304-A of the IPC. He went to the extent of terming it “murder”. He said the government had also issued a notice to the hospital to cancel the licence of its blood bank after the probe panel highlighted gross violations.

The inquiry revealed that the hospital charged Adya’s parents a whopping sum, besides minting 108 per cent profit on medicines and 1,737 per cent on other consumables. Adya was admitted for treatment of dengue where the hospital charged Rs 18 lakh for 15 days before her death on September 14.

Vij said the report suggested that Adya died while being transported to another hospital as after she was discharged, the ventilator was removed and no ambu bag was provided. The protocol as regards patients leaving against medical advice (LAMA) provides that the patient be transported under similar conditions as when kept in the hospital.

The report said since Fortis was provided land by HUDA on concessional rates, it was supposed to provide free treatment to 10 per cent EWS patients, 70 per cent discount to 20 per cent patients in IPD and free treatment to 20 per cent patients in OPD. However, the hospital was not found following the guidelines.

“We are writing to HUDA for action,” he said. Amit Jha, Principal Secretary (Health), said action would be initiated for not reporting dengue cases. The report, however, found no prima facie negligence during her stay in the ICU.