Apollo hospital fined Rs.1 crore for medical negligence

The national consumer forum has ordered Apollo Hospital to pay a compensation of Rs.1 crore to a couple for wrongful delivery of their child that caused permanent brain damage.

Holding the hospital and its gynaecologist for "medical negligence", the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) has asked Indraprastha Apollo Hospital and its gynaecologist, Sohini Verma, to pay Rs.1 crore compensation to the parents of the child, born in 1999.

Out of Rs.1 crore, Rs.80 lakh has to be paid by the hospital and the remaining Rs.20 lakh to be paid by Verma, the forum said.

According to the complainant, Indu Sharma, also a doctor, she delivered her baby in June 1999 at the hospital but there was no senior doctor for a medical examination.

She alleged that her baby suffered birth asphyxia and contended with expert opinion that such problems were because of the negligence during the delivery. The baby survived 12 years with disabilities and mental retardation, said Sharma, also alleging that the hospital failed to take proper care during delivery, which resulted in the birth of an asphyxiated baby.

The NCDRC bench, presided by Justice J.M. Malik and S.M. Kantikar said that hospitals must be held accountable in cases of negligence.

"Most of the hospitals, either government or private sector, who treat a large number of patients and must be held accountable in cases of negligence," it said.

The forum held that due to "substandard care" to the patient during labour resulted in a poor outcome despite using modern technology of cardiography (CTG).