Chennai govt hospital ordered to pay Rs 1.6 lakh compensation for botched surgery

The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, Chennai has ordered the Government Peripheral Hospital, Tondiarpet to pay Rs 1.6 lakh to a woman for medical negligence. The hospital had, in 2001, botched up a sterilisation procedure on the woman who later had to suffer health complications because of that.

According to a report, Jhansi Rani, resident of Washermanpet in Chennai, had opted for a sterilisation procedure at the Government Peripheral Hospital in 2001. Life continued to be normal until after a few years, when she suffered from nausea, stomach pain, loss of appetite and a nervous disorder, according to her complaint.

In February 2017, she had to visit the hospital due to these symptoms and was admitted into the Emergency Care Unit of Government Stanley Hospital, where the doctors diagnosed her with a ruptured ectopic pregnancy in the urinary bladder. She was immediately shifted to the Government hospital in Royapuram, where the doctors strongly advised her to get an emergency surgery since her life was under threat due to the ruptured ectopic pregnancy.

The doctors removed the ectopic foetus and informed Jhansi Rani that a flawed sterilisation procedure could have been the reason for her pregnancy. Angered and disappointed by this, she wrote a complaint to the Chief Minister’s Special Cell against the Peripheral hospital, Tondiarpet, which was forwarded to the Directorate of Family Welfare for further action. She also approached the Greater Chennai Corporation with her plaint and was told that she was eligible for compensation for the failed sterilisation procedure.

Jhansi Rani then knocked on the doors of the District Consumer Disputes Redressal forum in March 2020 seeking compensation. The forum heard both the sides and awarded Rs 1.6 lakh to her, to be paid by the hospital for its negligence.