‘Went to Fortis as I trusted them’

Fifty-four-year-old Juginder Singh turned to Fortis, Noida, around midnight on November 21 after he had lost trust in other hospitals to treat his daughter Shweta, who had fits and a high fever. He would lose his 21-year-old daughter within four hours of admission at the hospital.

“Shweta had fits for six months before but we got her treated. On November 18, she got a severe headache and was frothing at the mouth. We first took her to Yashoda Hospital in Ghaziabad. She was discharged on November 20 and prescribed medication,” said Mr. Singh, a farmer at Sikror village in Meerut.

₹1 lakh for four hours

However, her condition worsened and the family brought her to Fortis Hospital, Noida, where she was admitted by 1 a.m. on November 21. The family was informed that Shweta’s health was deteriorating fast and by 5.20 a.m., she was declared dead. The girl was pursuing masters from a college in Ghaziabad.

Mr. Singh has alleged that no senior doctor treated his daughter and only the nursing staff took care of her.

“I had brought her to Fortis as I didn’t trust other hospitals,” he said, adding that the hospital charged him over ₹1,00,000 after four hours of treatment.

He has filed a complaint against Fortis for medical negligence and overcharging, with the chief medical officer and district magistrate of Gautam Budh Nagar.

Panel report soon

“They said they will give me a discount of ₹10,000 or ₹20,000. I told them I will pay them the entire amount. I felt cheated and humiliated,” he said. “I don’t want money from Fortis but I want justice so that something similar doesn’t happen again,” Mr. Singh added.

The CMO of Gautam Budh Nagar, Dr. Anurag Bhargav, has set up a panel to probe the matter. “The committee will submit its report in a month,” said Dr. Bhargav.

The hospital said the patient was administered "IV fluids and medication to combat shock... but her condition deteriorated and she passed away at 5:20 a.m.”