P K SINHA Vs. MANI BHARGAVA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This is a Consumer Complaint filed before this Commission in 2001. On 12.1.2004, the complainant sought permission to implead Dr.Sanjay Bhargav as an Opposite Party which was permitted. Later, by an order of 25.3.2010, the Commission decided to appoint an expert panel, for which a request was made to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). The report of the expert panel dated 28.5.2010 was shared with the two parties, as per the direction of this Commission issued on 6.7.2010. The complainant is represented by his Special Power of Attorney holder, Dr. Dinbandhu Biswas. The parties have been heard on three occasions between 22.11.2010 and 23.3.2011.

(2.) The case of the complainant Mr. P.K.Sinha is that his wife, Mrs. Mala Sinha was admitted to Varun Hospital, run by the OP, on 193.2001. The patient was 42 years old and suffering from diabetes mellitus type II. She was admitted to the intensive care unit at 4 p.m. and administered 25% glucose, without making any investigation or ascertaining that she was a case of high blood sugar. In fact, two days before admission to the respondent hospital i.e. on 17.3.2001, her blood sugar had gone above 560 mg level and she was advised to take insulin injections.

(3.) It is alleged that, despite this background, she was administered glucose. Whilebeing administered glucose, her condition started deteriorating and she passed into deep coma. At about 8:30 p.m. the OP prescribed insulin but in very low dosage. Throughout the night the patient remained in coma. The next morning at 9:30 a.m. she was referred to Aligarh Medical College but without the record of treatment. The patient died at about 2 p.m. on 20.3.2001, even before she could be taken to the medical college.