The Delhi State Commission has held a city hospital responsible for negligence in treating a patient leading to her death and imposed a penalty of Rs1.5 lakh besides refund of the cost of treatment.
In a complaint filed against Delhi Heart and lung Institute, it was alleged that the hospital failed to provide necessary treatment to a 76-year-old woman after her operation. Upholding the order passed by the consumer court, the commission said, “There has been certain amount of negligence and apparent deficiency in service in the post-operative care of the patient from the time of angioplasty on April 27, 2007 to the morning of April 30, 2007 which ultimately resulted in death of the patient.”
A complaint was registered by Surender Babbar on the death of his mother in the hospital located in Punchkuian Road. Babbar had accused the hospital authorities for neglecting and failing to provide necessary treatment after angioplasty of his mother, who was admitted to the hospital as “a very high risk patient.”
The court observed that “the condition of the patient deteriorated; even then she was shifted from CCU to ward room. Thus, the hospital was totally indifferent and careless towards the well-being of the patient which amounts to medical negligence.”
The commission directed the hospital to refund the cost of treatment charged by it for a sum of Rs 2.45 lakh besides the payment of damages amounting to Rs 1 lakh and legal cost of Rs 50,000.