Coimbatore: The district consumer disputes redressal commission has directed a private hospital to pay a compensation of 20 lakh to the parents of a pregnant woman, who died due to deficiency in service by doctors.
According to an official source, Sandhya, daughter of A Mohan-M Vijayalakshmi couple from PN Pudhur, consulted a private hospital in the same locality for the first time after she became pregnant on January 26, 2023. The doctor whom she consulted advised her to return for a scan on February 17 to confirm the growth of the fetus.
On February 20, she visited the hospital as he was down with fever. She was given medication and she was asked to come for a follow-up on February 22, when she was again given the same medication. The very next day, she was admitted as an inpatient and a dengue test was conducted. She was discharged the same day, as she was tested negative for dengue.
As her condition did not improve, her parents took her back to the same hospital on February 24. The hospital, unable to manage her condition, referred her to the Coimbatore Medical College and Hospital, where she succumbed to respiratory failure the next day.
Following her death, her parents petitioned the deputy director of medical services on April 12, 2023, requesting an inquiry. They also presented documents detailing the deficiencies in treatment provided by the private hospital. In a letter dated May 24, 2023, the deputy director of medical services confirmed that Sandhya died due to the deficiency in service by the private hospital.
Subsequently, her parents moved the district consumer disputes redressal commission. In its order, commission president R Thangavel and members P Marimuthu and G Suguna directed the private hospital to pay 20 lakh as compensation to the complainants and another 5,000 towards the cost of legal proceedings.
