A hospital in Gujarat’s Mahisagar district, was on Tuesday, October 19, ordered to pay a compensation of ₹11.23 lakh to the family of a man who died after a doctor at the hospital removed his left kidney instead of kidney stones.
The deceased, identified as Devendrabhai Raval, was admitted to the KMG General Hospital in Balasinor in 2011 for the removal of kidney stones after complaining of problems in urine and back pain.
Hearing a plea by a relative of the deceased, the Gujarat State Consumer Dispute Redressal Commission ordered KMG General Hospital to pay ₹11.23 lakh as compensation to the kin.
A resident of Vanghroli village in Gujarat’s Kheda district, Devendrabhai Raval had been experiencing severe back pain and difficulty passing urine in May of 2011.
This is when he consulted a doctor at the KMG General Hospital who diagnosed a 15 mm stone in Raval’s left kidney.
Raval was operated upon on 3rd September 2011.
However, following the operation, the doctor reportedly told the deceased’s family that he had to remove the patient’s left kidney instead of the stone due to severe complications.
The doctor insisted that the decision was taken, keeping in mind the best interest of the patient.
As he experienced greater problems with passing urine post-operation, Devendrabhai Raval was admitted to a kidney hospital in Nadiad for treatment.
He was later referred to the Institute of Kidney Disease and Research Centre (IKDRC) in Ahmedabad.
Due to severe complications, he died on 8th January 2012.
“The employer is responsible not only for his own acts of commission and omission but also for the negligence of its employees so long as the act occurs within the course and scope of the employment,” the Gujarat State Consumer Dispute Redressal Commission observed.
In its order, the panel ordered the KMG General Hospital in Balasinor to pay compensation with 7.5% interest accrued since 2012 to the deceased’s kin.