Doctor, hospital slapped Rs 50 lakh compensation for medical negligence during 23 day old infant's circumcision
Medical Negligence
Malappuram: The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (DCDRC), Malappuram, recently directed a private hospital and a doctor to pay Rs 50 lakh compensation to the family of a 23-day-old infant, whose private parts were severely injured during circumcision.
Out of this amount, the District Consumer Court has ordered Rs 25 lakh in compensation for the ordeal the child had to go through due to the medical negligence during the procedure, and another Rs 25 lakh for future surgeries. Further, the bench comprising President K Mohandas and members Preethi Sivaraman and Muhammed Ismail CV also directed the doctor and the hospital to pay Rs 25,000 towards court expenses.
In its order, the Commission also mentioned that if the amount is not handed over to the complainant within 30 days of receiving the order, an additional nine percent interest will be imposed from the date of filing of the complaint.
Also Read: Kerala: Circumcision of 23 day old goes awry, Human Rights Commission intervenes
Background:
As per the latest media report by Kerala Kaumudi, the history of the case goes back to April 2018, when a serious lapse occurred during the circumcision of the 23-day-old baby. Soon after the circumcision, the baby developed an infection and was admitted to Thrissur-based Amala Hospital and was later taken to Jubilee Mission Hospital.
The child had to be treated in the intensive care unit for about two weeks. Later, the baby was discharged from the hospital along with the advice that future surgeries would be required.
Allegedly, the child's infection was found to be caused by the hospital's lack of basic facilities required for the surgery and the lack of experience on the treating doctor's part.
Earlier, an investigation was conducted regarding the matter by an expert team led by the District Medical Officer and health vigilance, which found the lapses, including the doctor's lack of experience.
Medical Dialogues had reported about the case back in 2019 when the State Human Rights Commission, Kerala, had asked the Kerala government to compensate the family of the 23-day-old baby boy for medical negligence after his private parts were severely injured during circumcision.
In a statement, the Kerala State Human Rights Commission (KSHRC) had said that seventy-five per cent of the private organ of the child was lost when he was circumcised at a hospital in northern Malappuram district.
The doctor, who had carried out the circumcision, had only three years of surgical experience, the Human Rights Commission had said, adding that the doctor's lack of experience resulted in the grievous injury to the baby. The commission had also noted that the facilities at the private hospital, where the surgery was carried out, were very poor.
Apart from directing the State Chief Secretary to pay an interim compensation of Rs 2 lakh to the child's family, KSHRC had also sought a report from the state health department. It had also directed that more awareness should be created among parents and doctors on surgeries performed on newborns.
