HC steps in after Prayagraj Hospital admits woman died from wrong blood transfusion

Prayagraj: The Allahabad High Court has directed the Uttar Pradesh government to set up a high-level committee to curb incidents of medical negligence and fix accountability in the matter. This directive follows the hospital in Prayagraj, which acknowledged before the court that a woman patient was administered the wrong blood group, which led to her death. 

The incident occurred at Swaroop Rani Hospital, the teaching hospital attached to Moti Lal Nehru Medical College. During the proceedings, the state government’s counsel admitted that although the patient’s blood group was ‘O’ Positive, she was transfused with ‘AB’ Positive blood. The mismatch reportedly led to severe post-operative complications, ultimately leading to her death.

According to a report by The Times of India, a division bench comprising Justice Atul Sreedharan and Justice Siddharth Nandan passed the order on February 2 while hearing a plea filed by the deceased patient’s son. The High Court observed that the medical records placed before it prima facie suggested that the subsequent line of treatment appeared to be an attempt to counter the adverse effects caused by the incompatible transfusion.

The court underscored Article 21, highlighting a patient's right to life and observed that the Constitution places a constitutional obligation on the state and its functionaries to ensure patient safety. The bench specifically noted that the principal of the concerned medical college bears responsibility for safeguarding the rights of admitted patients, and that the admitted lapse reflected a failure in that duty of oversight.

The court further observed that since the hospital did not dispute that the cause of death was the transfusion of the wrong blood group, it was unnecessary to further adjudicate the issue of negligence.

In order to prevent recurrence of such incidents in the future, the High Court directed the Director General of Medical Education (DGME), Uttar Pradesh, who has been impleaded as a respondent, to instruct the hospital administration to set up a committee. This committee will be chaired by the principal of the medical college and will include representatives from multiple departments. The committee's task will include collecting relevant data, reviewing existing protocols, and recommending measures to strengthen the overall functioning of the institution.

The court made it clear that the lack of facilities or the absence of a robust mechanism cannot be allowed to result in patient deaths. It has been directed that a comprehensive report detailing necessary infrastructural and procedural reforms be submitted to the DGME within five weeks. The DGME has been directed to extend full financial and administrative support required to implement these safety measures.

Additionally, the principal of the medical college has been instructed to file a personal affidavit placing on record the committee’s findings and the response of the DGME. The matter is scheduled for further hearing on March 23, 2026.