Madurai
Considering the plight of a victim of medical negligence, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court directed the authorities concerned to find out the possibility of giving her the best possible medical care.
Taking cognisance of the fact that the woman was to lose her right leg due to medical negligence, Justice S.S. Sundar directed the Dean of Madurai Government Rajaji Hospital to find out the possibility of giving the woman the best possible treatment so as to avoid amputation.
The court asked the State to look at the possibility of shifting the woman to Chennai for better treatment, at its expense. It also directed the Dean, GRH, to look into the case history of the woman with the help of specialists. A report was sought in the case in a week’s time. The court adjourned the hearing by a week.
The High Court was hearing a petition filed by the woman’s husband, N. Mahalingam, from Virudhunagar district. He said that on April 30 the woman was admitted to a private hospital in Virudhunagar, following a complaint of stomach pain. After an examination, doctors recommended the removal of uterus.
Being a daily wager, the petitioner said that he could not afford the amount required for the surgery. On the advice of doctors at the private hospital, she was shifted to the Virudhunagar Government Headquarters Hospital for surgery on May 2.
However, following the surgery, the petitioner said that his wife complained of unbearable pain in her right leg. Suspecting thrombosis (blood clotting), the petitioner is said to have brought this to the notice of doctors at the hospital.
Despite the complaint, the petitioner said that only on May 8 a doctor checked his wife and advised immediate medical attention. Following the doctor’s advice for immediate treatment at a super speciality Hospital, the woman was shifted to GRH on May 9.
The petitioner complained that even at the GRH, the doctors were negligent and instead of providing medical care they suggested amputation of the right leg. He sought a direction to constitute a team of expert doctors to examine his wife and perform surgery for her recovery. He also sought a direction to the authorities concerned to take action against those responsible for the medical negligence and payment of appropriate compensation.
