UMERKOTE: The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Nabarangpur has directed a doctor of Jagdalpur in neighbouring Chhattisgarh to pay Rs 20 lakh compensation to a woman of Umerkote who suffered post-delivery complications due to medical negligence.
Dealing with the complaint filed by Heena Lathia, the panel on December 15 asked Dr Sukriti Bansal to provide the compensation within 30 days. Sources said Lathia developed labour pain and was admitted to the nursing home of Bansal in Chhattisgarh on January 25 this year. She delivered a baby the next day. On January 27, Lathia was discharged from the hospital despite complaining of severe post-delivery complications to Bansal.
On January 31, Lathia’s husband again took her to Bansal and complained of pain during passing of stool. Besides, there was discharge of stool from her vagina. Bansal reportedly advised for blood transfusion. However, after finding the woman in a critical condition, the doctor advised Lathia’s husband to take her to some other hospital. Lathia was discharged on February 3 from the nursing home and was admitted to AN Beach Hospital in Visakhapatnam.
The doctors there conducted MRI and found that Lathia’s private parts were critically damaged due to unskillful handling. Subsequently, the woman underwent a six-hour surgery and kept in ICU. After one month, another operation was done and the total treatment cost was very high.
When Lathia’s husband approached Bansal in this regard, the doctor did not entertain him. Later, the woman filed a complaint with the commission alleging medical negligence. She prayed the commission to direct the doctor to pay Rs 24 lakh towards medical expenses, damage, transportation and other things.
After going through the details, the commission directed Bansal to pay Rs 20 lakh to the complainant within 30 days from the date of pronouncement of the order. Lathia was being represented by advocate KTS Zillani of Umerkote.