Hospital, doctor penalised for deficiency in service

Avneet Kaur

Jalandhar, December 29

The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has ordered Chhabra Hospital and Maternity Home and its doctor Dr Renu Chhabra to pay Rs 30,000 to Priya Sharma as compensation and litigation expenses for medical negligence in her caesarean operation. The patient had to undergo another operation for the procedure that allegedly went wrong.

Priya Sharma, in her complaint filed with the forum, averred that she was admitted to Chhabra hospital on August 26, 2017, and Dr Renu Chhabra advised her that she would have to undergo caesarean operation for delivery of child and offered her an all-inclusive package of Rs 30,000, which included the hospital stay/room charges as well.

She said she deposited Rs 15, 000 in cash as advance on August 28, 2017, and on August 28, 2017, Dr Chhabra conducted the caesarean operation and she delivered a female child in the hospital. However, after two-three hours of the operation, she started feeling some internal pain and severe stiffness in the operated part of the body.

She said on August 30, 2017, she deposited the remaining amount of Rs 15,000 and was discharged but she was still having internal pain as well as stiffness in the operated area, upon which the doctor advised oral medicines.

She said even after taking the medicines prescribed by the doctor, the pain continued and instead of subsiding, the pain aggravated and became unbearable. She also suffered from high fever upon which she rushed to the hospital on September 4, 2017.

“After casually checking, Dr Chhabra advised oral medicines and told me that there was nothing serious or unusual and it was normal after a caesarean operation,” she added.

She said she found that the operated area was not properly stitched. The blood started oozing out from the operated area and there was continuous profuse bleeding and due to heavy blood loss, she felt unconscious and was taken to the hospital wherein doctor charged her Rs 2,000 as emergency fees.

She said despite the fact that it was an emergency case, Dr Chhabra, instead of giving her proper medication, advised her inexperienced paramedical staff to administer and without any notice left for Mumbai.

“As my condition was going from bad to worse at the Chhabra hospital and there was no one to attend me, on September 11, 2017, my husband admitted me to Patel Hospital for proper treatment where her ultrasound scan was conducted and after seeing the report, Dr SK Sharma of Patel Hospital informed me and my husband that he found an open wound in the lower abdomen over the transverse scar line”, she said.

The husband of the complainant said the doctors told him that the caesarian operation upon his wife was not properly conducted and due to the same, the complications started arising out.

The notice of the complaint was given to the hospital and the doctor concerned, who in their reply said there was no evidence or documents which point out medical error on part of the doctor. They further said there was no deficiency in service by the hospital and the duo should not be held responsible for it.

Meanwhile, president of the forum Karnail Singh and member Jyotsna, after verifying the facts ordered the hospital and the doctor to pay the compensation and litigation charges within one month.

The Case

The husband of the complainant said the doctors told him that the caesarian operation upon his wife was not properly conducted and due to the same, the complications started arising out. The notice of the complaint was given to the hospital and the doctor concerned, who in their reply said there was no evidence or documents which point out medical error on part of the doctor. They further said there was no deficiency in service by the hospital and the duo should not be held responsible for it. Meanwhile, president of the forum Karnail Singh and member Jyotsna, after verifying the facts ordered the hospital and the doctor to pay the compensation and litigation charges within one month.

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