Vizag Queen's NRI Hospital asked to pay Rs 40L to family for medical negligence

Visakhapatnam: The Andhra Pradesh State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has directed a corporate hospital—Queen's NRI Hospital—in Vizag city along with a surgeon and an anaesthesiologist of the hospital and another anaesthesiologist to pay a compensation of Rs. 40 lakhs to a victim's family for medical negligence after 26-year-old Seela Tulasiram, an employee of a private bank, slipped into a coma and died.

The complainants, Seela Suribabu and Seela Venkata Appalakonda, said their son Seela Tulasiram, a resident of Thotagaruvu junction in Arilova locality in Vizag city, complained of pain in the abdomen. He was admitted to Queen's NRI Hospital at 3.30 p.m on 8 October 2013. He was diagnosed with acute appendicitis and was referred to a surgeon, Dr. T.S Prasad.

Tulsasiram underwent surgery on the same day at 9.30 p.m, but he didn't regain consciousness after the surgery. He was shifted to the ICU. The next day, he slipped into a coma and he was declared dead at around 2 p.m on 12 October 2013. Prior to that, on 9 October at 2 p.m, Dr. Devudu Babu, a neuro physician, examined Tulsasiram and advised a brain scan. On the same day, Dr. T.S Prasad informed the family that Tulsasiram went into a coma due to a high dosage of anaesthesia and that he was being taken care of by Dr. Devudu Babu.

Family protests

Following Tulasiram's death, his family members and relatives protested in front of the hospital. The police rushed to the hospital.

There was an inordinate delay in handing over the case sheet to the victim's relatives. The case sheet showed that Tulasiram suffered a severe hypoxic injury resulting in brain death and consequent death.

Medical negligence

When the management of the hospital didn't give proper explanation for the cause of the death, Tulasiram's family approached various authorities, including the AP Medical Council. The complainant was informed by other independent authorities that a clear case of negligence occurred on the account of lapses by the anesthetist which was overlooked by the surgeon and other attending doctors. Severe hypoxic occurred during surgery, due to which the patient slipped into a coma and later suffered cardiac arrest.

The AP Medical Council found medical negligence and the Human Rights Commission, through a team of doctors from KG Hospital, confirmed negligence of the opposite parties, more particularly the anaesthetist.

Tulasiram's parents approached the State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission seeking compensation of Rs. 99,99,000 from the opposite parties for medical negligence.

Hospital denies allegations

The opposite parties denied the allegation of medical negligence and claimed there are no merits in the case of the complainant, hence the complaint is liable to be dismissed. The opposite parties also claimed that the patient approached the hospital with a delay of two days. If the patient had approached the hospital in time, there could have been more options.

Verdict and compensation

Taking the evidence and arguments placed on record, the commission stated that medical negligence led to the death of Tulasiram. The commission directed the opposite parties to pay Rs. 40 lakhs as compensation to Tulasiram's parents and further pay Rs. 25,000 as funeral charges and Rs. 25,000 as legal costs.