CUDDALORE: The Cuddalore District Consumer Distress Redressal Forum has ordered a nursing home at Thirupadiripuliyur here to pay a compensation of Rs.2 lakh to V. Durairaj of Manjakuppam, whose wife died to "negligence and deficiency in its medical services."

Forum president S.K. Douraiswami noted that D. Ambika (24), wife of Mr. Durairaj, was admitted to the Valli Vilas Nursing Home on May 8, 1999 with severe abdominal pain and intermittent vomiting.

The next day, doctors deemed it fit to conduct a surgery on the woman. However, during the operation, the woman developed an acute respiratory problem leading to cardiac arrest.

The doctors claimed to have revived her by administering life-saving drugs.

Later, they hurriedly sutured the abdomen and rushed the patient to the Pondicherry Government Hospital where she died.

The Forum observed that the nursing home was ill-equipped to perform surgeries, as it did not have vital facilities such as ventilators and an intensive care unit. Had it been equipped with the ventilators, the woman would have been saved. The post-mortem report of the Department of Forensic Science, Pondicherry, also confirmed medical negligence.

The Forum awarded a compensation of Rs.2 lakh to Mr. Durairaj, of which Rs.1.5 lakh was meant for deficiency in services, Rs.40,000 towards hardships and mental agony caused to him, and Rs.10,000 towards the costs.

The nursing home was directed to deposit Rs.50,000 each in the names of the two minor children of the deceased — D. Papitha and D. Prasanna.

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