Indian News

Gujarat doctors told to pay Rs 33 lakh for patient's death

Source: , Posted On:   21 March 2023

 

AHMEDABAD: The Gujarat State Consumer Dispute Redressal Commission has ordered two doctors from Jamnagar to pay Rs 33.70 lakh in compensation to kin of a patient, who died due to carbon dioxide embolism during a laparoscopy procedure.
The case involved Joshnaben Patel, who suffered pain in her stomach and was diagnosed with a tumour. She was advised laparoscopy to remove the tumour. On June 1, 2015, while the procedure was underway at surgeon Dr Kalpana Bhatt’s hospital in Jamnagar, her condition became critical.
She was required to be shifted to a critical care unit in presence of two doctors and then was taken to another private hospital. The patient died and her autopsy revealed that besides three holes in her stomach for laparoscopy, there was an incision of 14cm. The discharge summary said that there was anaesthesia problem resulting in shock.
Joshnaben’s husband Paresh Patel sued the surgeon along with a physician Dr Dipen Shah and anaesthetist Dr Rakesh Doshi alleging medical negligence and seeking compensation.
After the hearing, the consumer commission came to a conclusion that carbon dioxide embolism was established.
“The doctors failed to this commission that diligent efforts have been made during treatment and therefore I have no hesitation in holding that surgeon and anaesthetist are liable for not providing efficient services to the patient Joshnaben,” presiding member of the commission R N Mehta observed.
While holding surgeon and anaesthetist liable to pay compensation for patient’s death, the commission exonerated the physician.
Considering the patient’s age and occupation, the commission calculated Rs 33.70 lakh an amount for the compensation and ordered both the doctors to pay it to the deceased patient’s husband with 10% interest since 2015 in 60 days.
The doctors have also been directed to pay Rs 25,000 extra to the complainant for expenditure incurred on litigation.

 

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