NELLORE: District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission ordered Christian Medical College (CMC) and Hospital in Vellore to pay a compensation of Rs 15 lakh to a woman for negligence while performing a caesarean. The woman underwent a C-section at the hospital in 2015 when the doctors left a cotton pad inside her body.
District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission President Ginka Reddy Sekhar issued the order on Wednesday.As per the complaint, SK Rasheela Bhanu from Anamasamudrampeta in Nellore district approached CMC for a C-section. She was operated on November 27, 2015 and gave birth to a baby girl. However, Rasheela Bhanu began experiencing severe stomach pain after the operation.
After getting treated in Hyderabad and Vijayawada, she approached a private hospital in Nellore in June 2017. She was diagnosed with acute intestinal obstruction (small bowel). Doctors found a cotton surgical mopping pad inside her abdomen, which was later removed.
The woman approached the consumer disputes panel in November 2017, demanding a compensation of Rs 20 lakh. While the hospital management denied the charges by terming them allegations, the commission appointed a court commissioner to probe the matter.
CMC records tampered with
The doctors of the private hospital handed over the cotton pad to the commissioner as evidence. The commissioner also found that store records of CMC were tampered. While the records mentioned that they had used six cotton pads, only five were found post surgery. The staff had tried to change the number manually. It was instructed to pay the compensation within 45 days, if not an interest of 9% will be levied.