NIZAMABAD: The District Consumer Forum in its judgement on Tuesday held the doctors of the Pragati Nursing Home here responsible for the death of Parvatha Vardini, the then headmistress of Srinagar ZP High School, in April 1994.

Delivering the decision, forum president T. Sudarshan said Ms. Vardini died of "gross negligence" of doctors after being operated upon for stomachache on April 27, 1994.

A team of doctors comprising Meenakshi, P.V. Ramakrishna and Shyam Sundar operated upon the victim on the following day. Subsequently, her pain aggravated and she suffered breathing problem. On finding that one of her intestines had a hole, doctors Seetharama Raju and N.S. Rao operated upon her again on May 5, but they could not save her life.

Ms. Vardhini's daughter Sirisha and father-in-law P. Govindaramaiah approached the forum.

After listening to both sides and examining the patient's case-sheet, the forum rejected the contention of respondents. It felt that the doctors did not taken proper precautions. Stating that the doctors caused severe financial and mental trouble to her family members, the consumer court directed the hospital to pay Rs. 5 lakhs as compensation to them. It also said that the amount should be paid with 9 per cent interest from April 21, 1994, besides paying Rs.1,000 towards court expenditure.

Contacted for his comments the Pragati Nursing Home trustee, A. Lakshma Reddy said there was no negligence on their part. "We will approach higher court," he said.

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