Rs 15 lakh fine on CMC Vellore for leaving cotton pad in woman’s body

The woman underwent a C-section at the hospital in 2015 when the doctors left a cotton pad inside her body.

Nellore: The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission president Ginka Reddy Sekhar on Wednesday ordered the Christian Medical College and Hospital (CMC) in Vellore to pay a compensation of Rs 15 lakh to a woman for negligence while performing a cesarean. The woman underwent a C-section at the hospital in 2015 when the doctors left a cotton pad inside her body.

On 27th November 2015, SK Rasheela Bhanu from Anamasamudrampeta in the Nellore district approached CMC for a C-section and gave birth to a baby girl. However, she began experiencing severe abdominal pain after the operation. She had visited several hospitals during the period without any relief. Finally, on 17th June 2017, the doctors at KIMS Hospital in Nellore detected a cotton pad inside her abdomen which was later removed.

The woman approached the Commission in November 2017, demanding compensation of Rs 20 lakh from the hospital. While the hospital management denied the charges by terming them as allegations, the commission appointed a court commissioner to probe the matter and found that the woman had suffered acute abdominal pain due to the presence of the cotton pad that was left behind in her stomach after undergoing the C-section.

The Commission ordered the management of the CMC hospital to pay a compensation of Rs 15 lakh to the woman. They were ordered to pay the compensation within 45 days, if not, an interest of 9% will be levied.