UDUPI : A senior nurse from Udupi, 43-year-old Shivakumar Shettigar, lost a job opportunity in Saudi Arabia after a diagnostic error wrongly indicated he had hepatitis C. The faulty report was issued by National CT Scanner and Diagnostic Centre, Mangaluru.
Shettigar later tested negative at different facilities and approached the Udupi district Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, alleging negligence. The court ruled in his favour, holding the diagnostic centre accountable for the career loss and mental trauma caused. The court has ordered the centre to pay a compensation of Rs 13.49 lakh to Shettigar within 45 days.
Shettigar told TNIE that he was selected for the post of industrial nurse at United Medical Response Company, Saudi Arabia. He was scheduled to travel in February 2024. As part of the mandatory medical clearance required by the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), he underwent a test at GCC notified lab -- National CT Scanner and Diagnostic Centre, Mangaluru, on January 17, 2024.
The test falsely showed he was Hepatitis C positive. Shettigar underwent a test the next day at a private lab in Manipal, where the results came back negative. Within a week, he also underwent another test at the district government hospital in Udupi and again tested negative.
He alleged that the diagnostic centre in Mangaluru had used a faulty kit and the equipment was not properly maintained.