Couple gets justice after 17 years

New Delhi, Aug 27 (UNI) A 17 year-long battle against medical negligence has been won with the National Consumer Commission directing a Kerala-based hospital to pay a compensation of Rs 11.29 lakhs to a couple for causing permanent mental retardation to their son right from his birth in 1989.

The apex consumer body awarded Shibu Thomas, an employee of the Federal Bank who is now working at Venjaramoodu in Kerala, a compensation of Rs 4.5 lakhs plus interest for the amount for 17 years.

''The compensation has together come to Rs 11.29 lakhs. The hospital has paid the compensation by cheque early this week,'' the family's lawyer S Reghukumar told UNI over the telephone from Thiruvananthapuram.

The hospital was asked to pay the compensation along with a litigation cost of Rs 10,000 immediately.

The victim Navin, now aged 17, needs full-time custodial care due to epilepsy and disability.

The Commission found the Cosmopolitan Hospital to have treated casually the delivery of Geeta, the wife of Thomas and a trained nurse, in a case which required special care.

The delivery of Geeta was delayed despite clear signs of distress to foetus. Even after the expected date of delivery on December 6, 1989, she was administered synthetic drug Pitocin to induce labour pain. Another induced method was again used and the child was born on December 13, 1989.

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