Haryana files FIR against Fortis

Sumedha Sharma

Tribune News Service

Gurugram, December 10 

Taking a stern stance against Gurugram’s posh Fortis hospital over the death of a seven-year-old girl, admitted in September with symptoms of dengue, the Haryana Health Ministry has got an FIR registered against it for culpable homicide.

The case was filed at the Sushant Lok police station under Section 304(2) (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the IPC on the basis of a 50-page report of the inquiry  committee headed by Additional Director General Dr Rajiv Wadhera.

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The report, which served as a complaint, highlighted that while no evident negligence was visible during Adya’s stay in hospital, discontinuation of life-saving services like ventilator and not providing 

a well-equipped ambulance during the girl’s transfer to a Delhi-based hospital did amount to negligence.

“The patient should have been transferred out of hospital in the same medical environs she was in ICU,” said a committee member.

“On the basis of the report, we have booked the hospital. We also have a complaint from the victim’s father and are looking into that. Any further charges will be added in due course of inquiry,” said ACP Anil Yadav. The report also found the hospital guilty of overcharging for platelets by almost Rs 12,000.

The hospital hit troubled waters in mid-November when Jayant Singh, Adya’s father, posted  images on the social media of the itemised bills of over Rs 16 lakh and accused the hospital of negligence leading to his daughter’s death. As the issue gained media glare, the state health ministry formed a committee to look into the matter and after 10 days of exhaustive questioning and review of records, submitted a report.

Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij ordered that Fortis Hospital, Gurgaon, be removed from the list of government-empanelled hospitals due to the case. The district administration has also initiated action against the hospital under Epidemic Act.

“ As per norms, whenever you get a dengue patient, you have to inform the local authorities but Fortis did not, so they will now be booked under IPC Section 188,” said DC Vinay Pratap Singh. 

Other than criminal action, civil action too has been invoked against hospital. The hospital pharmacy was allegedly found lacking on many grounds and has been served a notice by the state Drugs Controller under the Drug and Cosmetic Act 1945 . The hospital-based blood bank too has been served a show-cause notice for alleged over-charging for platelets used in treatment. On directions of the state minister, HUDA is now looking into the conditions and respective fulfillment of the hospital’s land lease and it faces a threat of cancellation.