Consumer court asks 2 medicos to pay compensation of Rs 6 lakh

Thane, Oct 20 (PTI) A district consumer forum has ordered two city-based doctors to pay a compensation of Rs 6 lakh for "deficiency in service and medical negligence" which resulted into death of a pregnant woman while undergoing treatment in an 8 year old case.The court of M G Rahatgaonkar and Jyoti Iyer held gynaecologist Dr Sujata Rathod and physician Dr Vasant Kumar Jog of Jog Hospital guilty of negligence and ordered them to pay Rs 1,00,000 and Rs 5,00,000 respectively in addition to Rs 10,000 each towards legal expenses to Shashikant Vichare, husband of the deceased.Shashikala Vichare was administered anaesthesia by Dr Jog at Jog''s Maternity and Nursing Home here even though he was not qualified as MD (Anaesthetist).Shahshikala was admitted to the maternity home on the advice of gynaecologist Dr Sujata Rathod who performed a Cesarean section following which Shashikala gave birth to a baby boy on July 7, 2003.On July 8, Shashikala started experiencing severe pains in her chest following which one Dr Anand Bhave, one of the respondents in the case, was summoned.Shashikala was shifted to Lok Hospital for further treatment. Her husband claimed that even after his wife was admitted in ICU of Lok Hospital she died on August 9, 2003.Her medical report claimed she died due to bilateral Pneumonia with impending adult/acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS).The court asked the defendants to pay the compensation within 45 days of the date of order or else pay interest at the rate of 18% p.a.to the complainant.The court held Dr Rathod guilty under section 2(1) of the Consumer Act for deficiency of service and medical negligence, the order said.Referring to a Medical Council of India notification, the forum observed that administrating general anaesthesia without proper qualification amounts to professional misconduct. The court however exonerated Dr Anand Bhave and Lok Hospital.