HARIDWAR: The Haridwar consumer forum imposed a penalty of Rs 60,000 on All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Rishikesh for giving an incorrect HIV report to a fit person. The forum observed that the institution delivered inadequate services, causing mental trauma to the complainant and ordered that the amount be paid within a month.

The complainant, Naseem Ali, a resident of Bhagwanpur in Haridwar district, had visited a private hospital in Roorkee for first-aid after suffering an injury on July 12, 2014. It was found that his blood was not clotting properly and he was immediately admitted to the hospital. After three days of treatment, he was referred to AIIMS Rishikesh. Tests were conducted at AIIMS and he was told that he was HIV positive.

When his health deteriorated, his family took him to Shri Mahant Indiresh Hospital where he was detected as HIV negative on July 28.

In January 2015, Ali registered a complaint with the district consumer forum against Roorkee-based Dr BS Saini Kalawati Hospital, AIIMS Rishikesh and United India Insurance company.

The consumer forum observed carelessness in treatment on part of AIIMS Rishikesh and last month imposed a penalty of Rs 50,000 and an additional Rs 10,000 on the institution for wasting the complainant’s time and energy.

The order, issued on April 22, reads, “Ensure payment of Rs 50,000 and Rs 10,000 within one month for incorrect treatment. And in case the amount is not paid within a month, then you will be liable to pay this amount at 6% annual interest.”

SK Bhama, an advocate involved in the case, stated that the court observed that the test result caused mental trauma and social problems to the complainant.

Dr Manoj Gupta, a spokesperson of AIIMS Rishikesh, said that the institution will appeal against the judgement in a higher court. He stated that it was a documentation error and probably the very next day, it became clear to the patient that his report was negative. Nowhere in the discharge papers was it written that the patient was HIV positive, he added.