The Rajasthan State Consumer Dispute Redressal Commission has enforced a fine of Rs 50 lakh on city’s Fortis Hospital for treating a heart patient suffering from a stomach-related illness which resultedin the patient’s death. The commission had also asked the hospital to return Rs 2.84 lakh used up in the treatment of the patient with interest.

The commission through Kamal Bagri, judicial member and Meena Mehta, member, has asked the Fortis Healthcare Limited to pay anamount of Rs 25 lakh with interest. The commission further stated that a patient who had complained of stomach ache was treated as a heart patient and a separate amount of Rs 25 lakh was imposed on the hospital as corrective damage, since the act of the hospital comes under serious offence.

The commission in its order stated that the fine should be deposited in the State Consumer Welfare Fund along with interest. The commission had given this order on the complaint filed by Rekha Khunteta and others.

Counsel for the complainant, Vijji Aggarwal said that on July 28, 2014, the complainant’s father Chetram was having difficulty swallowing food, hence was admitted to Fortis Hospital, Jaipur. Regardless ofparticularizing on abdominal pain, the doctors wrote the wrong history sheet and did ECG and Echo. Investigations had suggested that 50% of the patients heart was working and therefore angiography and angioplasty were done, totally ignoring the complaint of abdominal pain. On July 30, haemodialysis was started on the patient and on July 31, patient died of a heart attack. This was an utter negligence on part of the hospital and doctors.