Patient not given treatment, 5 day Delay in COVID-19 report: Hospital told to pay Rs 5 lakh compensation

Kolkata: Bengal-based Jagannath Gupta Institute of Medical Sciences and Hospital in Budge Budge has been ordered to pay a compensation of Rs 5 Lakh to the patient's family for keeping the patient in the hospital without providing him treatment. The order was issued by West Bengal Clinical Establishment Regulatory Commission (WBCERC) on Friday.

The patient's family alleged that the hospital was not prompt in running a COVID test and kept the patient in the hospital without providing any treatment. The hospital authorities during the hearing informed WBCERC as it took over five days to get a Covid report and they were not sure whether the patient was positive or not, they had to wait before starting any treatment. The patient eventually tested positive for Covid. The hospital also claimed that it did not have adequate Covid infrastructure to treat the patient.

The patient has been identified as a resident of Budge Budge in South 24-Parganas and he was suffering from respiratory complications.  He was admitted in the facility under West Bengal Health Scheme on July 24 in 2020 with COVID negative report. During the hearing, the commission came to know that there was confusion regarding the COVID report of the patient. First, the hospital authorities on July 26th verbally informed the patient that he was COVID positive but did not provide any report. However, the hospital again conducted the COVID test on 29th July stating that there might be some error. Thus it took almost 5 days to get the COVID report of the patient.

The patient's family alleged that during these 5 days the hospital did not provide any treatment to the patient. The patient's son alleged that when the patient was tested positive for COVID, eventually he was " driven out " of the hospital. While giving the verdict, WBCERC Chairperson Justice (retired) Ashim Banerjee stated, " The patient was not given proper treatment as the Covid report was late. The hospital has also said that they did not have Covid infrastructure. We found the hospital guilty of negligence and ordered it to pay a compensation of Rs 5 lakh."