We, therefore, direct that whenever a complaint is received against a doctor or hospital by the Consumer Fora (whether District, State or National) or by the Criminal Court then before issuing notice to the doctor or hospital against whom the complaint was made the Consumer Forum or Criminal Court should first refer the matter to a competent doctor or committee of doctors, specialized in the field relating to which the medical negligence is attributed, and only after that doctor or committee reports that there is a prima facie case of medical negligence should notice be then issued to the concerned doctor/hospital. This is necessary to avoid harassment to doctors who may not be ultimately found to be negligent. We further warn the police officials not to arrest or harass doctors unless the facts clearly come within the parameters laid down in Jacob Mathew's case (supra), otherwise the policemen will themselves have to face legal action.
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Protection to Doctors in Criminal Cases
54. In para 52 of Jacob Mathew's case the Supreme Court realizing that doctors have to be protected from frivolous complaints of medical negligence, has laid down certain rules in this connection :
(i) A private complaint should not be entertained unless the complainant has produced prima facie evidence before the court in the form of a credible opinion given by another competent doctor to support the charge of rashness or negligence on the part of the accused doctor.
(ii) The investigating officer should, before proceeding against the doctor accused of rash or negligent act or omission, obtain an independent and competent medical opinion, preferably from a doctor in government service, qualified in that branch of medical practice who can normally be expected to give an impartial opinion applying the Bolam test.
(iii) A doctor accused of negligence should not be arrested in a routine manner simply because a charge has been leveled against him. Unless his arrest is necessary for furthering the investigation or for collecting evidence or unless the investigating officer feels satisfied that the doctor proceeded against would not make himself available to face the prosecution unless arrested, the arrest should be withheld.
Supreme Court of India
Martin F. D'Souza vs Mohd. Ishfaq on 17 February, 2009
1. This appeal against the judgment of the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, New Delhi dated 22.3.2002 has been filed under Section 23 of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986.
2. Heard learned counsel for the parties and perused the record.
3. The brief facts of the case are narrated below :
4. In March 1991, the respondent who was suffering from chronic renal failure was referred by the Director, Health Services to the Nanavati Hospital, Mumbai for the purpose of a kidney transplant.
5. On or about 24.4.1991, the respondent reached Nanavati Hospital, Bombay and was under the treatment of the appellant Doctor. At that stage, the respondent was undergoing haemodialysis twice a week on account of chronic renal failure. Investigations were underway to find a suitable donor. The respondent wanted to be operated by Dr. Sonawala alone who was out of India from 1.6.1991 to 1.7.1991.
6. On 20.5.1991, the respondent approached the appellant Doctor. At the time, the respondent, who was suffering from high fever, did not want to be admitted to the Hospital despite the advice of the appellant. Hence, a broad spectrum antibiotic was prescribed to him.
7. From 20.5.1991 to 29.5.1991, the respondent attended the Haemodialysis Unit at Nanavati Hospital on three occasions. At that time, his fever remained between 1010-1040F. The appellant constantly requested the complainant to get admitted to hospital but the respondent refused.
8. On 29.5.1991 the respondent who had high fever of 1040F finally agreed to get admitted to hospital due to his serious condition.
9. On 30.5.1991 the respondent was investigated for renal package. The medical report showed high creatinine 13 mg., blood urea 180 mg. The Haemoglobin of the respondent was 4.3%. The following chart indicates the results of the study in comparison to the normal range :-
Normal Range
S. Creatinine 13.0 mgs. % 0.7 - 1.5 mgs. % Blood Urea 180 mgs. % 10-50 mgs. % Haemoglobin 4.3 gms. % 11.5-13.5 gms. %
10. On 30.5.1991, the respondent was investigated for typhoid fever, which was negative. He was also investigated for ESR, which was expectedly high in view of renal failure and anemia infection. Urine analysis was also carried out which showed the presence of bacteria.
11. On 3.6.1991, the reports of the urine culture and sensitivity were received. The report showed severe urinary tract infection due to Klebsiella species (1 lac/ml.). The report also showed that the infection could be treated by Amikacin and Methenamine Mandelate and that the infection was resistant to other antibiotics. Methnamine Mandelate cannot be used in patients suffering from renal failure.
12. On 4.6.1991, the blood culture report of the respondent was received, which showed a serious infection of the blood stream (staphylococcus species).
13. On 5.6.1991, Amikacin injection was administered to the respondent for three days (from 5th to 7th June, 1991), since the urinary infection of the respondent was sensitive to Amikacin. Cap. Augmentin (375 mg.) was administered three times a day for the blood infection and the respondent was transfused one unit of blood during dialysis. Consequent upon the treatment, the temperature of the respondent rapidly subsided.
14. From 5.6.1991 to 8.6.1991, the respondent insisted on immediate kidney transplant even though the respondent had advised him that in view of his blood and urine infection no transplant could take place for six weeks.
15. On 8.6.1991, the respondent, despite the appellant's advice, got himself discharged from Nanavati Hospital. Since the respondent was suffering from blood and urinary infection and had refused to come for haemodialysis on alternate days, the appellant suggested Injection Amikacin (500 mg.) twice a day. Certain other drugs were also specified to be taken under the supervision of the appellant when he visited the Dialysis Unit.
16. On 11.6.1991, the respondent attended the Haemodialysis Unit and complained to the appellant that he had slight tinnitus (ringing in the ear). The appellant has alleged that he immediately told the respondent to stop taking the Amikacin and Augmentin and scored out the treatment on the discharge card. However, despite express instructions from the appellant, the respondent continued to take Amikacin till 17.6.1991. Thereafter, the appellant was not under the treatment of the appellant.
17. On 14.6.1991, 18.6.1991 and 20.6.1991 the respondent received haemodialysis at Nanavati Hospital and allegedly did not complain of deafness during this period.
18. On 25.6.1991, the respondent, on his own accord, was admitted to Prince Aly Khan Hospital, where he was also treated with antibiotics. The complainant allegedly did not complain of deafness during this period and conversed with doctors normally, as is evident from their evidence.
19. On 30.7.1991, the respondent was operated upon for transplant after he had ceased to be under the treatment of the appellant. On 13.8.1991, the respondent was discharged from Prince Aly Khan Hospital after his transplant. The respondent returned to Delhi on 14.8.1991, after discharge.
20. On 7.7.1992, the respondent filed a complaint before the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, New Delhi (being Original Petition No.178 of 1992) claiming compensation of an amount of Rs.12,00,000/- as his hearing had been affected. The appellant filed his reply stating, inter alia, that there was no material brought on record by the respondent to show any co- relationship between the drugs prescribed and the state of his health. Rejoinder was filed by the respondent.
21. The National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (hereinafter referred to as `the Commission') passed an order on 6.10.1993 directing the nomination of an expert from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi (AIIMS) to examine the complaint and give an opinion. This was done in order to get an unbiased and neutral opinion.
22. AIIMS nominated Dr. P. Ghosh, and the report of Dr. P. Ghosh of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences was submitted before the Commission, after examining the respondent. Dr. Ghosh was of the opinion that the drug Amikacin was administered by the appellant as a life saving measure and was rightly used. It is submitted by the appellant that the said report further makes it clear that there has been no negligence on the part of the appellant.
23. Evidence was thereupon led before the Commission. Two affidavits by way of evidence were filed on behalf of the respondent, being that of his wife and himself. The witnesses for the respondent were :-
i) The respondent Mohd. Ishfaq
ii) The wife of the respondent
iii) Dr. Ashok Sareen
iv) Dr. Vindu Amitabh
24. On behalf of the appellant, six affidavits by way of evidence were filed. These were of the appellant himself, Dr. Danbar (a doctor attached to the Haemodialysis Department of Nanavati Hospital), Dr. Abhijit Joshi (a Resident Senior Houseman of Nanavati Hospital), Mrs. Mukta Kalekar (a Senior sister at Nanavati Hospital), Dr. Sonawala (the Urologist who referred the respondent to the appellant) and Dr. Ashique Ali Rawal (a Urologist attached to Prince Aly Khan Hospital). The witnesses for the appellant were:-
i) The appellant-Dr. M.F. D'Souza
ii) Dr. Danbar
iii) Dr. Upadhyay
iv) Mrs. Mukta Kalekar
v) Dr. Ashique Ali Rawal
25. The respondent also filed an opinion of the Chief of Nephrology at Fairview General Hospital, Cleveland, Ohlo, which was heavily relied upon in the impugned judgment. The appellant has alleged that the said opinion was written without examining the respondent and, in any case, the appellant was not afforded an opportunity of cross-examining the person who gave the opinion.
26. The case of the respondent, in brief, is that the appellant was negligent in prescribing Amikacin to the respondent of 500 mg twice a day for 14 days as such dosage was excessive and caused hearing impairment. It is also the case of the respondent that the infection he was suffering from was not of a nature as to warrant administration of Amikacin to him.
27. The appellant submitted before the Commission that at the time of admission of the respondent on 29.5.1991 to the hospital, he had fever of 1040F and, after investigation, it was found that his serum creatinine level was 13 mg%, blood urea 180 mg% and Haemoglobin 4.3 mg. Amikacin was prescribed to him only after obtaining blood and urine culture reports on 3rd and 4th June, 1991, which showed the respondent resistant to other antibiotics. Even the witness of the respondent (Dr. Sareen) conceded that he would have prescribed Amikacin in the facts of the case. However, the Commission allowed the complaint of the respondent by way of the impugned order dated 9.4.2002 and awarded Rs.4 lakh with interest @ 12% from 1.8.1992 as well as Rs.3 lakh as compensation as well as Rs.5000/- as costs.
28. Before discussing the facts of the case, we would like to state the law regarding Medical Negligence in India.
29. Cases, both civil and criminal as well as in Consumer Fora, are often filed against medical practitioners and hospitals, complaining of medical negligence against doctors/hospitals/nursing homes and hence the latter naturally would like to know about their liability.
30. The general principles on this subject have been lucidly and elaborately explained in the three Judge Bench decision of this Court in Jacob Mathew vs. State of Punjab and Anr. (2005) 6 SCC 1. However, difficulties arise in the application of those general principles to specific cases.
31. For instance, in para 41 of the aforesaid decision it was observed :
"The practitioner must bring to his task a reasonable degree of skill and knowledge, and must exercise a reasonable degree of care. Neither the very highest nor a very low degree of care and competence is what the law requires."
32. Now what is reasonable and what is unreasonable is a matter on which even experts may disagree. Also, they may disagree on what is a high level of care and what is a low level of care.
33. To give another example, in paragraph 12 to 16 of Jacob Mathew's case (Supra), it has been stated that simple negligence may result only in civil liability, but gross negligence or recklessness may result in criminal liability as well. For civil liability only damages can be imposed by the Court but for criminal liability the Doctor can also be sent to jail (apart from damages which may be imposed on him in a civil suit or by the Consumer Fora). However, what is simple negligence and what is gross negligence may be a matter of dispute even among experts.
34. The law, like medicine, is an inexact science. One cannot predict with certainty an outcome of many cases. It depends on the particular facts and circumstances of the case, and also the personal notions of the Judge concerned who is hearing the case. However, the broad and general legal principles relating to medical negligence need to be understood.
35. Before dealing with these principles two things have to be kept in mind : (1) Judges are not experts in medical science, rather they are lay men. This itself often makes it somewhat difficult for them to decide cases relating to medical negligence. Moreover, Judges have usually to rely on testimonies of other doctors which may not necessarily in all cases be objective, since like in all professions and services, doctors too sometimes have a tendency to support their own colleagues who are charged with medical negligence. The testimony may also be difficult to understand, particularly in complicated medical matters, for a layman in medical matters like a Judge; and (2) A balance has to be struck in such cases. While doctors who cause death or agony due to medical negligence should certainly be penalized, it must also be remembered that like all professionals doctors too can make errors of judgment but if they are punished for this no doctor can practice his vocation with equanimity. Indiscriminate proceedings and decisions against doctors are counter productive and serve society no good. They inhibit the free exercise of judgment by a professional in a particular situation.
36. Keeping the above two notions in mind we may discuss the broad general principles relating to medical negligence.
General Principles Relating to Medical Negligence
37. As already stated above, the broad general principles of medical negligence have been laid down in the Supreme Court Judgment in Jacob Mathew vs. State of Punjab and Anr. (supra). However, these principles can be indicated briefly here :
38. The basic principle relating to medical negligence is known as the BOLAM Rule. This was laid down in the judgment of Justice McNair in Bolam vs. Friern Hospital Management Committee (1957) 1 WLR 582 as follows :
"Where you get a situation which involves the use of some special skill or competence, then the test as to whether there has been negligence or not is not the test of the man on the top of a Clapham omnibus, because he has not got this special skill. The test is the standard of the ordinary skilled man exercising and professing to have that special skill. A man need not possess the highest expert skill..... It is well-established law that it is sufficient if he exercises the ordinary skill of an ordinary competent man exercising that particular art."
Bolam's test has been approved by the Supreme Court in Jacob Mathew's case.
39. In Halsbury's Laws of England the degree of skill and care required by a medical practitioner is stated as follows :
"The practitioner must bring to his task a reasonable degree of skill and knowledge, and must exercise a reasonable degree of care. Neither the very highest nor a very low degree of care and competence, judged in the light of the particular circumstances of each case, is what the law requires, and a person is not liable in negligence because someone else of greater skill and knowledge would have prescribed different treatment or operated in a different way; nor is he guilty of negligence if he has acted in accordance with a practice accepted as proper by a responsible body of medical men skilled in that particular art, even though a body of adverse opinion also existed among medical men.
Deviation from normal practice is not necessarily evidence of negligence. To establish liability on that basis it must be shown (1) that there is a usual and normal practice; (2) that the defendant has not adopted it; and (3) that the course in fact adopted is one no professional man of ordinary skill would have taken had he been acting with ordinary care."
(emphasis supplied)
40. Eckersley vs. Binnie (1988) 18 Con LR 1 summarized the Bolam test in the following words :
"From these general statements it follows that a professional man should command the corpus of knowledge which forms
part of the professional equipment of the ordinary member of his profession. He should not lag behind other ordinary
assiduous and intelligent members of his profession in the knowledge of new advances, discoveries and developments in his field. He should have such an awareness as an ordinarily competent would have of the deficiencies in his knowledge and the limitations on his skill. He should be alert to the hazards and risks in any professional task he undertakes to the extent that other ordinarily competent members of the profession would be alert. He must bring to any professional task he undertakes no less expertise, skill and care than other ordinarily competent members of his profession would bring, but need bring no more. The standard is that of the reasonable average. The law does not require of a professional man that he be a paragon combining the qualities of a polymath and prophet."
41. A medical practitioner is not liable to be held negligent simply because things went wrong from mischance or misadventure or through an error of judgment in choosing one reasonable course of treatment in preference to another. He would be liable only where his conduct fell below that of the standards of a reasonably competent practitioner in his field. For instance, he would be liable if he leaves a surgical gauze inside the patient after an operation vide Achutrao Haribhau Khodwa & others vs. State of Maharashtra & others, AIR 1996 SC 2377 or operates on the wrong part of the body, and he would be also criminally liable if he operates on someone for removing an organ for illegitimate trade.
42. There is a tendency to confuse a reasonable person with an error free person. An error of judgment may or may not be negligent. It depends on the nature of the error.
43. It is not enough to show that there is a body of competent professional opinion which considers that the decision of the accused professional was a wrong decision, provided there also exists a body of professional opinion, equally competent, which supports the decision as reasonable in the circumstances. As Lord Clyde stated in Hunter vs. Hanley 1955 SLT 213 :
"In the realm of diagnosis and treatment there is ample scope for genuine difference of opinion and one man clearly is not negligent merely because his conclusion differs from that of other professional men.... The true test for establishing negligence in diagnosis or treatment on the part of a doctor is whether he has been proved to be guilty of such failure as no doctor of ordinary skill would be guilty of if acting with ordinary care...."
(emphasis supplied)
44. The standard of care has to be judged in the light of knowledge available at the time of the incident and not at the date of the trial. Also, where the charge of negligence is of failure to use some particular equipment, the charge would fail if the equipment was not generally available at that point of time.
45. The higher the acuteness in an emergency and the higher the complication, the more are the chances of error of judgment. At times, the professional is confronted with making a choice between the devil and the deep sea and has to choose the lesser evil. The doctor is often called upon to adopt a procedure which involves higher element of risk, but which he honestly believes as providing greater chances of success for the patient rather than a procedure involving lesser risk but higher chances of failure. Which course is more appropriate to follow, would depend on the facts and circumstances of a given case but a doctor cannot be penalized if he adopts the former procedure, even if it results in a failure. The usual practice prevalent nowadays is to obtain the consent of the patient or of the person in-charge of the patient if the patient is not in a position to give consent before adopting a given procedure.
46. There may be a few cases where an exceptionally brilliant doctor performs an operation or prescribes a treatment which has never been tried before to save the life of a patient when no known method of treatment is available. If the patient dies or suffers some serious harm, should the doctor be held liable? In our opinion he should not. Science advances by experimentation, but experiments sometime end in failure e.g. the operation on the Iranian twin sisters who were joined at the head since birth, or the first heart transplant by Dr. Barnard in South Africa. However, in such cases it is advisable for the doctor to explain the situation to the patient and take his written consent.
47. Simply because a patient has not favourably responded to a treatment given by a doctor or a surgery has failed, the doctor cannot be held straightway liable for medical negligence by applying the doctrine of res ipsa loquitur. No sensible professional would intentionally commit an act or omission which would result in harm or injury to the patient since the professional reputation of the professional would be at stake. A single failure may cost him dear in his lapse.
48. As observed by the Supreme Court in Jacob Mathew's case :
"A medical practitioner faced with an emergency ordinarily tries his best to redeem the patient out of his suffering. He does not gain anything by acting with negligence or by omitting to do an act. Obviously, therefore, it will be for the complainant to clearly make out a case of negligence before a medical practitioner is charged with or proceeded against criminally. A surgeon with shaky hands under fear of legal action cannot perform a successful operation and a quivering physician cannot administer the end-dose of medicine to his patient.
If the hands be trembling with the dangling fear of facing a criminal prosecution in the event of failure for whatever reason - whether attributable to himself or not, neither can a surgeon successfully wield his life-saving scalpel to perform an essential surgery, nor can a physician successfully administer the life-saving dose of medicine. Discretion being the better part of valour, a medical professional would feel better advised to leave a terminal patient to his own fate in the case of emergency where the chance of success may be 10% (or so), rather than taking the risk of making a last ditch effort towards saving the subject and facing a criminal prosecution if his effort fails. Such timidity forced upon a doctor would be a disservice to society."
49. When a patient dies or suffers some mishap, there is a tendency to blame the doctor for this. Things have gone wrong and, therefore, somebody must be punished for it. However, it is well known that even the best professionals, what to say of the average professional, sometimes have failures. A lawyer cannot win every case in his professional career but surely he cannot be penalized for losing a case provided he appeared in it and made his submissions.
50. To fasten liability in criminal proceedings e.g. under Section 304A IPC the degree of negligence has to be higher than the negligence which is enough to fasten liability in civil proceedings. Thus for civil liability it may be enough for the complainant to prove that the doctor did not exercise reasonable care in accordance with the principles mentioned above, but for convicting a doctor in a criminal case, it must also be proved that this negligence was gross amounting to recklessness.
51. The difference between simple negligence and gross negligence has broadly been explained in paragraphs 12 to 16 of Jacob Mathew's case, though difficulties may arise in the application of the principle in particular cases. For instance, if a mop is left behind in the stomach of a patient while doing an operation, would it be simple negligence or gross negligence? If a scissors or sharp edged medical instrument is left in the patient's body while doing the operation would that make a difference from merely leaving a mop?
52. The professional is one who professes to have some special skill. A professional impliedly assures the person dealing with him (i) that he has the skill which he professes to possess, (ii) that skill shall be exercised with reasonable care and caution.
53. Judged by this standard, the professional may be held liable for negligence on the ground that he was not possessed of the requisite skill which he professes to have. Thus a doctor who has a qualification in Ayurvedic or Homeopathic medicine will be liable if he prescribes Allopathic treatment which causes some harm vide Poonam Verma vs. Ashwin Patel & Ors. (1996) 4 SCC 332. In Dr. Shiv Kumar Gautam vs. Alima, Revision Petition No.586 of 1999 decided on 10.10.2006, the National Consumer Commission held a homeopath liable for negligence for prescribing allopathic medicines and administering glucose drip and giving injections.
Protection to Doctors in Criminal Cases
54. In para 52 of Jacob Mathew's case the Supreme Court realizing that doctors have to be protected from frivolous complaints of medical negligence, has laid down certain rules in this connection :
(i) A private complaint should not be entertained unless the complainant has produced prima facie evidence before the court in the form of a credible opinion given by another competent doctor to support the charge of rashness or negligence on the part of the accused doctor.
(ii) The investigating officer should, before proceeding against the doctor accused of rash or negligent act or omission, obtain an independent and competent medical opinion, preferably from a doctor in government service, qualified in that branch of medical practice who can normally be expected to give an impartial opinion applying the Bolam test.
(iii) A doctor accused of negligence should not be arrested in a routine manner simply because a charge has been leveled against him. Unless his arrest is necessary for furthering the investigation or for collecting evidence or unless the investigating officer feels satisfied that the doctor proceeded against would not make himself available to face the prosecution unless arrested, the arrest should be withheld.
Precautions which Doctor/Hospitals/Nursing Homes should take :
(a) Current practices, infrastructure, paramedical and other staff, hygiene and sterility should be observed strictly. Thus, in Sarwat Ali Khan vs. Prof. R. Gogi and others Original Petition No.181 of 1997, decided on 18.7.2007 by the National Consumer Commission, the facts were that out of 52 cataract operations performed between 26th and 28th September, 1995 in an eye hospital 14 persons lost their vision in the operated eye. An enquiry revealed that in the Operation Theatre two autoclaves were not working properly. This equipment is absolutely necessary to carry out sterilization of instruments, cotton, pads, linen, etc., and the damage occurred because of its absence in working condition. The doctors were held liable.
(b) No prescription should ordinarily be given without actual examination. The tendency to give prescription over the telephone, except in an acute emergency, should be avoided.
(c) A doctor should not merely go by the version of the patient regarding his symptoms, but should also make his own analysis including tests and investigations where necessary.
(d) A doctor should not experiment unless necessary and even then he should ordinarily get a written consent from the patient.
(e) An expert should be consulted in case of any doubt. Thus, in Smt. Indrani Bhattacharjee, Original Petition No.233 of 1996 decided by the National Consumer Commission on 9.8.2007, the patient was diagnosed as having `Mild Lateral Wall Eschemia'. The doctor prescribed medicine for gastro-entiritis, but he expired. It was held that the doctor was negligent as he should have advised consulting a Cardiologist in writing.
(f) Full record of the diagnosis, treatment, etc. should be maintained.
Application of the above mentioned general principles to particular cases :
Decisions of the Court
55. In Pt. Parmanand Katara vs. Union of India & Others AIR 1989 SC 2039, the petitioner referred to a report published in the newspaper "The Hindustan Times" in which it was mentioned that a scooterist was knocked down by a speeding car. Seeing the profusely bleeding scooterist, a person who was on the road, picked up the injured and took him to the nearest hospital. The doctors refused to attend and told the man that he should take the patient to another hospital located 20 kilometers away authorized to handle medico-legal cases. The injured was then taken to that hospital but by the time he could reach, the victim succumbed to his injuries.
56. The Supreme Court referred to the Code of Medical Ethics drawn up with the approval of the Central Government under Section 33 of the Indian Council Medical Act and observed "Every doctor whether at a Government Hospital or otherwise has the professional obligation to extend his services for protecting life. The obligation being total, absolute and paramount, laws of procedure whether in statutes or otherwise cannot be sustained and, therefore, must give way."
57. The Supreme Court held that it is the duty of the doctor in an emergency to begin treatment of the patient and he should not await the arrival of the police or to complete the legal formalities. The life of a person is far more important than legal formalities. This view is in accordance with the Hippocratic oath of doctors.
58. Although this decision has laid down that it is the duty of a doctor to attend to a patient who is brought to him in an emergency, it does not state what penalty will be imposed on a doctor who refuses to attend the said patient. Consequently it will depend on the fact and circumstances of the case. However, this case is important because nowadays health care has often become a business, as is mentioned in George Bernard Shaw's play "The Doctor's Dilemma". The medical profession is a noble profession and it should not be brought down to the level of a simple business or commerce. The truth of the matter, sadly, is that today in India many doctors (though not all) have become totally money-minded, and have forgotten their Hippocratic oath. Since most people in India are poor the consequence is that for them proper medical treatment is next to impossible, and hence they have to rely on quacks. This is a disgrace to a noble profession.
59. In Paschim Banga Khet Mazdoor Samity and others vs. State of West Bengal and Another AIR1996 SC 2426, the Supreme Court held that the denial of emergency aid to the petitioner due to the non availability of bed in the Government Hospital amounts to the violation of the right to life under Article 21 of the Constitution. The Court went on to say that the Constitutional obligation imposed on the State by Article 21 cannot be abdicated on the ground of financial constraint.
60. In Md. Suleman Ansari (D.M.S.) vs. Shankar Bhandari (2005) 12 SCC 430 the respondent suffered a fracture of his hand. He went to the appellant who held himself out to be a qualified medical practitioner. The appellant bandaged the respondent's hand and prescribed certain medicines. He was ultimately taken to another doctor but by this time the damage to his hand was permanent. It was found that the appellant was not a qualified doctor to give treatment to the respondent. The Supreme Court had directed him to pay Rs.80,000 as compensation to the respondent.
61. In Surendra Chauhan vs. State of M.P. (2000) 4 SCC 110, the appellant was having a degree of Bachelor of Medicine in Electrohomoeopathy from the Board of Electrohomoeopathy Systems of Medicines, Jabalpur (M.P.). He did not possess any recognized medical qualification as defined in the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956. Yet he performed an operation to terminate the three month pregnancy in a woman, who died in the clinic due to shock due to non application of anesthesia. The Supreme Court confirmed his sentence but reduced it to one and a half years rigorous imprisonment under Section 314/34 IPC and a fine of Rs.25000 payable to the mother of the deceased.
62. In State of Haryana and others vs. Raj Rani (2005) 7 SCC 22 it was held that if a child is born to a woman even after she had undergone a sterilization operation by a surgeon, the doctor was not liable because there cannot be a 100% certainty that no child will be born after a sterilization operation. The Court followed the earlier view of another three Judge Bench in State of Punjab vs. Shiv Ram & others (2005) 7 SCC 1. These decisions will be deemed to have overruled the two Judge Bench decision in State of Haryana and Others vs. Smt. Santra AIR 2000 SC 1888 in which it was held that if a child is born after the sterilization operation the surgeon will be liable for negligence.
63. In P.N. Rao vs. G. Jayaprakasu AIR 1990 AP 207, the plaintiff was a brilliant young boy who had passed the pre-University course securing 100% marks in Mathematics and 93.5% in physical sciences. He was also getting a monthly scholarship. He was offered a seat in B.E. Degree course in four Engineering Colleges. He had a minor ailment - chronic nasal discharge - for which his mother took him to a doctor for consultation who diagnosed the disease as Nasal Allergy and suggested operation for removal of tonsils. He was admitted in the Government General Hospital, Guntur and the operation was performed. He did not regain consciousness even after three days and thereafter for another 15 days he was not able to speak coherently. When he was discharged from hospital, he could only utter a few words and could not read or write and lost all his knowledge and learning. His father took him to Vellore where he was examined by a Professor of Neuro Surgery and it was found that his brain had suffered due to cerebral anoxia, which was a result of improper induction of anaesthetics and failure to take immediate steps to reduce anaesthesia. The court after examining the witnesses including the Professor of Anaesthesiology held that defendants were clearly negligent in discharging their duties and the State Government was vicariously liable.
64. In Dr. Laxman Balkrishna Joshi vs. Dr. Trimbak Bapu Godbole and Another AIR 1969 SC 128, a patient had suffered from fracture of the femur. The accused doctor while putting the leg in plaster used manual traction and used excessive force for this purpose, with the help of three men, although such traction is never done under morphia alone but done under proper general anaesthesia. This gave a tremendous shock causing the death of the boy. On these facts the Supreme Court held that the doctor was liable to pay damages to the parents of the boy.
65. In Dr. Suresh Gupta vs. Government of N.C.T. of Delhi and another AIR 2004 SC 4091, the appellant was a doctor accused under Section 304A IPC for causing death of his patient. The operation performed by him was for removing his nasal deformity. The Magistrate who charged the appellant stated in his judgment that the appellant while conducting the operation for removal of the nasal deformity gave incision in a wrong part and due to that blood seeped into the respiratory passage and because of that the patient collapsed and died. The High Court upheld the order of the Magistrate observing that adequate care was not taken to prevent seepage of blood resulting in asphyxia. The Supreme Court held that from the medical opinions adduced by the prosecution the cause of death was stated to be `not introducing a cuffed endotracheal tube of proper size as to prevent aspiration of blood from the wound in the respiratory passage.' The Supreme Court held that this act attributed to the doctor, even if accepted to be true, can be described as a negligent act as there was a lack of care and precaution. For this act of negligence he was held liable in a civil case but it cannot be described to be so reckless or grossly negligent as to make him liable in a criminal case. For conviction in a criminal case the negligence and rashness should be of such a high degree which can be described as totally apathetic towards the patient.
66. In Dr. Sr. Louie and Anr. vs. Smt. Kannolil Pathumma & Anr. the National Consumer Commission held that Dr. Louie showed herself as an M.D. although she was only M.D. Freiburg, a German Degree which is equivalent to an M.B.B.S. degree in India. She was guilty of negligence in treating a woman and her baby which died. There was vacuum slip, and the baby was delivered in an asphyxiated condition.
67. In Nihal Kaur vs. Director, P.G.I.M.S.R. (1996) CPJ 112 a patient died a day after surgery and the relatives found a pair of scissors utilized by the surgeon while collecting the last remains. The doctor was held liable and a compensation of Rs.1.20 lakhs was awarded by the State Consumer Forum, Chandigarh.
68. In Spring Medows Hospital & Another vs. Harjol Ahluwalia thr' K.S. Ahluwalia & Another (1998) CPJ 1, a minor child was admitted by his parents to a nursing home as he was suffering fever. The patient was admitted and the doctor diagnosed typhoid and gave medicines for typhoid fever. A nurse asked the father of the patient to get an injection Lariago which was administered by the nurse to the patient who immediately collapsed. The doctor was examined and testified that the child suffered a cardiac arrest on account of the medicine having being injected which led to brain damage. The National Commission held that the cause of cardiac arrest was intravenous injection of Lariago of such a high dose. The doctor was negligent in performing his duty because instead of administering the injection himself he permitted the nurse to give the injection. There was clear dereliction of duty on the part of the nurse who was not even a qualified nurse and was not registered with any nursing council of any State. Both the doctor and nurse and the hospital were found liable and Rs.12.5 lakhs was awarded as compensation to the parents.
69. In Consumer Protection Council and Others vs. Dr. M. Sundaram and Another (1998) CPJ 3, the facts were that one Mrs. Rajalaxmi was admitted to a nursing home which diagnosed the ailment as Hodgkin's Lymphoma. She was administered Endoxan injection five doses in five days. She was referred to another doctor who was an ENT specialist, who after examination opined that no lymph glands were seen. A sample of her bone marrow was sent to an Oncologist who opined that the picture does not fit with Hodgkin's disease but the patient had megaloblastic anemia in the bone marrow. Subsequently she was discharged from the nursing home and was advised to visit CMC Vellore for treatment. The patient consulted another doctor who diagnosed the same as renal failure. The complainant alleged that the first doctor failed and neglected to refer the matter to a Cancer Specialist but wrongly diagnosed the ailment of the patient as Hodgkin's Lymphoma and had unnecessarily administered injection of Endoxan and because of the toxicity of that drug the kidney cells of the patient got destroyed resulting in renal failure for which she had to undergo kidney transplantation which led to her death. The National Commission, upholding the State Commission decision, held that there was no negligence on the part of the doctor who had consulted a pathologist, and in the light of discussion with him and on inspection of some more slides of bone marrow specimens which also revealed the same finding, namely, existence of deposits of Hodgkin's Lymphoma, proceeded to administer the patient injections of Endoxan. It was held on the basis of medical opinion that any prudent consultant physician would not delay the commencement of chemotherapy where repeated examination of the bone marrow slides had yielded the report that the Hodgkin's deposits were present. Endoxan is a drug of choice in the treatment of Hodgkin's Lymphoma and there was no negligence on the part of the doctor.
70. In Sethuraman Subramaniam Iyer vs. Triveni Nursing Home and Another (1998) CPJ 110, the complainant's wife suffered from Sinusitis and was advised surgery by the doctor. She had suffered a massive heart attack while in the operation theatre. The State Commission found that necessary precautions and effective measures were taken to save the deceased and dismissed the complaint. The State Commission relied on the affidavits of four doctors who opined that there was no negligence. The complainant had not given any expert evidence to support his allegation and in these circumstances it was held that no case was made out against the doctor.
71. In A. S. Mittal & Anr. vs. State of U.P. & Ors. JT 1989 (2) SC 419, 1989 (3) SCC 223 a free eye camp was organized for ophthalmic surgical treatment to patients. However, the eyes of several patients after operation were irreversibly damaged, owing to post-operative infection of the intra ocular cavities of the eyes, caused by normal saline used at the time of surgery. The Supreme Court directed the State Government to pay Rs.12,500/- as compensation to each victim as there was a clear negligence.
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