BENGALURU: The consumer commission directed Manipal Hospital, Hoodi village, to refund airfare charges of Rs 47,991, along with 6 per cent interest per annum from 2018, in addition to Rs 25,000 compensation and Rs 10,000 litigation cost to a woman, residing in Switzerland, for destroying an embryo sample collected for IVF procedure.
Noting that the hospital failed to take proactive measures to preserve the sample, the commission also directed the hospital to re-conduct the same procedure free of charge on her next visit to India.
The Fourth Additional Bengaluru Additional District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission said, “The hospital has admitted that the viability of the specimen was lost due to improper storage, and has apologised and agreed to conduct the procedure again free of cost, which implies deficiency in service by the hospital.”
The commission, comprising president MS Ramachandra and members Chandrashekar S Noola and Nandini H Kumbhar, also noted that the complainant came all the way from Switzerland and approached the hospital believing it would give good results, but instead, their negligence caused her mental agony.
The 33-year-old complainant from Chikkaballapura district married in 2011, and could not conceive even after 5-7 years of marriage. She underwent IVF procedure and embryo transfer without success. She then travelled from Switzerland to Bengaluru in March 2018 for a second embryo transfer, got admitted in April 2018 and was discharged after the procedure, having paid a bill of Rs 43,839. The authorities informed her that the results pertaining to the sample would be provided within 10 days, and she flew back to Switzerland after a follow-up consultation.
Later, she was informed about negligence at the laboratory making the sample unfit for testing, which sent her into shock. The hospital apologised for carelessness and informed her that the management would refund all the expenditure, including airfare. When she called in May 2018, she was informed that the hospital’s management refused to comply with the assurance given, but agreed only to conduct the procedure again for free.