Health Bulletin 05/August/ 2025 - Video

Holding Mohali-based Fortis Hospital guilty of medical negligence while providing treatment to a patient suffering from an acute gastric problem, the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (DCDRC), Chandigarh, has directed the hospital and its gastroenterologist to pay Rs 50 lakh compensation. The patient had died while undergoing treatment at the hospital.

"In view of the above discussion, the present consumer complaint succeeds, the same is accordingly partly allowed and the OPs are directed as under:- i) to pay lump sum compensation of Rs.50 lacs alongwith interest @ 9% per annum from the date of death i.e. 02.08.2021 till its realization to the complainants within 45 days of receipt of certified copy of this order. ii) OPs are jointly and severally held liable to pay above mentioned amount to the complainants," ordered the consumer court.

The history of the case goes back to 2021, when the complainant's husband, an advocate by profession, was admitted to Fortis Hospital, Mohali, with complaints of an acute gastric problem.

Before admitting the patient, the hospital conducted the COVID-19 test, which was found negative. It was further submitted that since there were restricting visiting hours in the Fortis Hospital and only one visitor was allowed to visit the patient during the enture identified visiting hours, only the patient's wife, the complainant, went to see her husband between 12.30 PM to 1.00 PM on 29.07.2021. She was told that her husband had recovered from the gastric problem and, due to improvement, the patient desired to shift to a private ward from the ICU.

Altogether 2783 faculty and 22861 non-faculty positions are vacant across 23 All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), JIPMER (Puducherry), and PGIMER (Chandigarh), the Union Minister of State for Health, Shri Prataprao Jadhav, informed the parliament recently.

Among these, AIIMS across the country have altogether 6376 sanctioned faculty positions. However, 2561 of these positions are unfilled, indicating 40.16% vacant positions. Altogether 19529 out of 58953 non-faculty positions are vacant across the 23 AIIMS. Therefore, around 33% non-faculty positions are vacant at the AIIMS.

There are altogether 445 sanctioned faculty and 5812 sanctioned non-faculty positions at JIPMER. Among these, 91 faculty and 1458 non-faculty positions are vacant, respectively. This indicates around 20% and 25% vacancy of faculty and non-faculty positions at the institute.

In the case of PGIMER Chandigarh, 131 out of 732 sanctioned faculty positions are vacant. Further, the institute has 1874 out of 8265 sanctioned non-faculty positions unfilled. So, PGIMER has around 17.8% vacant faculty and 22.6% vacant non-faculty positions.

Over 18,900 organ transplants were performed in 2024 in India - the highest in a single year, said Union Health Minister JP Nadda on Saturday.

He was speaking at the 15th Indian Organ Donation Day organised by the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO) under the aegis of the Directorate General of Health Services, Ministry of Health, at Dr Ambedkar International Centre, here, news agency IANS reported.

Nadda stated that the government is continuously streamlining organ donation and transplant so that more and more citizens can benefit from it.

“Since the launch of the Aadhar-based NOTTO online pledge website in 2023, more than 3.30 lakh citizens have pledged their organs to donate, marking a historic moment in public participation,” the health minister said.

A medical officer at Satna District Hospital in Madhya Pradesh has come under scrutiny after a video showing him allegedly demanding Rs 500 from a student in exchange for issuing a medical certificate went viral on social media.

In the purported video shared by an autopsy surgeon on 'X' (formerly Twitter), the student is seen approaching the doctor, who is seated on a chair, while the student stands before him. The student is heard asking, “Kyun nahi karenge, sir?” (Why won’t you do it, sir?), to which the doctor replies, “Nahi karunga” (I won’t do it).

The student repeatedly asks the doctor to explain why he is refusing to issue the certificate. The doctor responds, “My wish, I won't do it now. Get out from here, get out.” Seconds later, the doctor is heard shouting at the student. In response, the student says, “Sir, don't shout at me. This is a government hospital. Why should I pay Rs 500? I am talking to you respectfully. Do not scream at me.”