District consumer disputes redressal forum president AK Sardana directed Ambala Cantt's Military Hospital (MH) to pay a compensation of `4 lakh for alleged negligence and deficiency in service during treatment of an air force employee's wife in a judgement delivered here on February 24.
The forum also ordered the hospital to pay `10,000 as cost of litigation with 9% interest per annum on the amount, from the date of filing of complaint.
Indian Air Force (IAF) employee Rajesh Sharma, resident of Ambala City, had filed a complaint with the forum alleging that his wife, Poonam, 23, had died due to negligence of the hospital staff.
In his complaint, Sharma mentioned that his wife was taken to a sub-medical centre (SMC) at Ambala Cantt Air Force Station after she complained of pain in her abdomen on August 10, 2003, from where she was referred to Military Hospital, Ambala Cantt, on the same day.
The complainant claimed that she was admitted to the hospital and her condition had deteriorated, but the medical staff on duty did not pay attention to her. She was discharged four days later even when she was in acute pain, he added.
The complaint reads that, after a few days, Sharma took his wife to the hospital again as she continued to remain ill. She was shifted to the operation theatre (OT) for a surgery on the advice of a senior doctor.
{{/usCountry}}The complaint reads that, after a few days, Sharma took his wife to the hospital again as she continued to remain ill. She was shifted to the operation theatre (OT) for a surgery on the advice of a senior doctor.
{{/usCountry}}The complainant alleged that after the operation, Poonam was shifted from the ICU to the general ward despite her deteriorating condition and she passed away on August 28.
The counsel for the hospital authorities pleaded that, despite treatment from specialist doctors, the wife of the complainant could not be saved and there was no negligence or deficiency in service on their part.