&w=3840&q=100)
Consumer body backs medical negligence claim, awards ₹10 lakh compensation
The National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission upheld a state consumer commission order holding a doctor responsible for medical negligence while reducing the compensation for mental agony to Rs 10 lakh, according to an official order.
The commission comprising presiding member Bijoy Kumar and member Justice Saroj Yadav, was hearing the appeal filed by Dr P Yashodhara challenging the March 2019 order of the Andhra Pradesh State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission awarding Rs 30 lakh as compensation to the complainant for mental agony, along with other costs, after holding the doctor guilty of medical negligence.
The complainant, K Sreelatha, alleged that because of the doctor's negligence during a forceps delivery performed on April 17, 2011, the baby suffered serious crush injuries to the scalp and his right ear pinna was also crushed and detached.
Sreelatha further alleged that due to these injuries, the baby sustained brain damage and had become mentally disabled.
In an order dated June 6, the national commission said that the doctor's hospital did not obtain "informed consent" for surgery, and the baby suffered injuries on his scalp and perichondritis of the ears, evidenced by the discharge summary of the second hospital wherein the baby boy was admitted for further treatment.
The commission, however, said that it was difficult to correlate the injuries suffered on the scalp with the subsequent "mental retardation" suffered by the boy as no evidence for it was submitted.
"The state commission has gone into detail and given a well-reasoned order, and we find no illegality in holding the appellant doctor responsible for the injury caused to the scalp of the baby, which had necessitated further treatment in another hospital. Thus, medical negligence is established," it added.
The commission also said that the compensation of Rs 30 lakh awarded for suffering mental agony appeared to be on the higher side, and the state commission did not provide any finding on how the amount was arrived at.
It said, "There is a stay of around one and a half months in Chennai for the treatment in the second hospital. For this period, the amount of Rs 10 lakh as compensation would be in order considering the quantum of injury and the gravity of negligence in using forceps." The commission also directed payment of Rs 72,530 for the treatment expenses and Rs 50,000 for litigation costs.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hans India
2 hours ago
- Hans India
APMC brings renewal services to district level
Tirupati: In a significant move to decentralise medical registration services, the Andhra Pradesh Medical Council (APMC) launched district-level doctor registration renewals and re-registration services at SV Medical College (SVMC) in Tirupati on Saturday. With this, doctors no longer need to travel to Vijayawada for services other than permanent registration, offering relief to hundreds of medical professionals in the region. The two-day registration drive was inaugurated by district Collector Dr S Venkateswar in the presence of APMC Chairman Dr Daggumati Sreehari Rao. Speaking to the media, Dr Venkateswar described the initiative as a welcome development and urged senior doctors, practicing physicians, and medical students to take full advantage of the services now available locally. He commended the APMC for introducing long-pending reforms that have brought greater ease and flexibility in availing council services. 'The decentralisation of the registration process is a major step forward. I request APMC to continue introducing innovative measures to make the process even more accessible,' he said. Dr Sreehari Rao highlighted that the APMC plans to offer these services at district level every weekend, starting with this initiative in Tirupati. The move aims to reduce travel burdens on senior citizens and practicing doctors seeking re-registration, renewals, or No Objection Certificates (NOCs). A key change introduced includes a reduction in service fees. Doctors under 75 years of age will now pay Rs 8,000 for registration-related services, while those above 75 will pay Rs 6,000, significantly lower than the previous Rs 40,000–Rs 50,000 range. Changes have also been made to Continuing Medical Education (CME) credit requirements. Doctors aged 65–70 now need only 15 credit points over five years, while those between 71–80 need 10. Those above 80 years are exempt. Dr Sreehari Rao announced that meritorious final-year MBBS students from all government and private colleges will be awarded gold medals annually. APMC is also working on WhatsApp-based services for renewals and introducing AI tools to monitor CME attendance. On this occasion, doctors appealed to the Collector for a permanent APMC office in Tirupati to facilitate registrations with more flexibility. The Collector assured that a decision would be taken after discussions with APMC. MLC Dr Cipai Subramanyam also spoke on the occasion, which was attended by SVMC Principal Dr G Ravi Prabhu, SVIMS Director Dr RV Kumar, Superintendents of Ruia and Maternity hospitals Dr J Radha and Dr Prameela, DM&HO Dr V Balakrishna Naik and others.
New Indian Express
2 hours ago
- New Indian Express
NIMHANS Northern campus in Bengaluru gets Centre's nod
BENGALURU: The Union Government has granted in-principle approval for the construction of a 300-bed Post-Graduate Polytrauma Centre under the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) at Kyalasanahalli near Kempegowda International Airport (KIA), Bengaluru. The facility, estimated to cost Rs 498 crore, is aimed at providing advanced emergency and trauma care to accident victims in and around the Bengaluru region. The approval was issued by the Department of Expenditure under the Union Ministry of Finance, following a proposal submitted by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW). The land for the project, measuring 39 acres, had been allotted to NIMHANS in 2012-13, during the tenure of the BJP-led state government in Karnataka. The proposed facility will serve as NIMHANS' Northern Campus and will include not just the trauma hospital, but also residential quarters for staff, hostels, guest houses, administrative blocks, and other support infrastructure. The Finance Ministry has laid down several conditions for the project. These include optimising manpower and infrastructure as recommended by NITI Aayog in its 2021 report, ensuring the trauma centre also caters to regular patients, and monitoring outputs and outcomes regularly for mid-course corrections. The ministry has also asked the Health Ministry to frame a long-term national policy for emergency and serious injury care. The Centre will provide critical care for patients suffering from multiple and complex injuries, particularly head, brain, chest, abdomen, and skeletal trauma, during the crucial 'Golden Hour.'
Time of India
5 hours ago
- Time of India
Blossoming hub of dragon fruit cultivation: Mirzapur leads UP's 260-hectare expansion; govt plans support centre
Dragon fruit cultivation is gaining traction in Uttar Pradesh, particularly in Mirzapur, due to its profitability and health benefits LUCKNOW: The cultivation of dragon fruit or 'Kamalam', an exotic fruit originally from Central America and Mexico which is emerging as a super crop worldwide given its health and medicinal benefits, is emerging as a profitable venture in Uttar Pradesh. Dragon fruit is tolerant to abiotic stresses, pests, and diseases. It has a low requirement for water and nutrients, gives multiple harvests in a year, sustains high yield up to 20 years, and has high nutraceutical and functional properties, being rich in antioxidants and fibers. Though it is highly perishable, having a shelf life of 5-7 days at ambient Indian conditions, it can be processed into various value-added products. Dragon Fruit In India& Uttar Pradesh Though dragon fruit was introduced in India in the late 1990s and between 2005 and 2017 the area under its cultivation increased from 4 to 400 hectares in different states, it wasn't until 2024 that Uttar Pradesh embraced this exotic fruit on a commercial scale, with Mirzapur emerging as a key player. According to the eye-estimated data (based on interaction with farmers and ocular estimates) of the state horticulture department, dragon fruit is commercially grown over 260 hectares in UP, and the average yield per hectare was nine metric tonnes in 2024-25. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 「早くやって」1日たった10秒で体重が… 大正製薬 続きを読む Undo The most commonly grown variety of the fruit in UP is red-skinned with red flesh. 'The initial investment is high for growing dragon fruit, as it requires making cemented pillars for plants to grow and take support of,' said sources in the horticulture department. However, it is one of the fastest returning perennial fruit crops, assuming full production within five years of plantation. Given the lesser number of commercial producers of dragon fruit in the country and an ever-increasing demand because of its health and medicinal benefits, its cultivation is a profitable venture. Under the centrally-sponsored Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) scheme, farmers in the country are given a 40% subsidy on the input cost of over Rs 6,75,000 lakh per hectare for the commercial cultivation of dragon fruit, provided the survival of the crop is 80% in the first year. Mirzapur, The New Hub Commercial cultivation of dragon fruit is being carried out in several districts in UP, such as Sonbhadra, Jaunpur, Kushinagar, Prayagraj, Gorakhpur, Basti, Ambedkarnagar, Hardoi, Ghazipur, and Barabanki. However, it is Mirzapur that has taken the lead as its climate has proven particularly conducive to dragon fruit cultivation, allowing the crop to flourish. In 2024-25, the region cultivated crops over 100 hectares, out of a total of 260 hectares where the crop was grown in UP in the last financial year. As Mirzapur continues to cultivate this vibrant fruit, it not only boosts the local economy but also positions itself as a pivotal hub in the agricultural landscape. The Way Ahead In 2025-26, the state govt plans to bring in 200 hectares more under dragon fruit cultivation in the state by covering new farmers under the scheme. Not only this, the govt is also considering setting up an exclusive centre of excellence for dragon fruit in Mirzapur's Deoria Kalan village to provide high-quality planting material to farmers and train them in its cultivation and processing. 'The reason why the govt is encouraging more and more farmers to grow it on a commercial level is because it can be grown in a wide range of agro-climatic zones, including areas of high temperature and water scarcity regions,' said sources. The govt is keen to promote its commercial cultivation in the Bundelkhand and Vindhya regions.
