Hyderabad: The Telangana State Consumer Commission has ordered Sree Vijaya Hospitals, Mehdipatnam, to pay compensation to a woman who suffered partial paralysis in her left leg due to alleged negligence while administering anaesthesia during childbirth.
The complainant, Naseemunisa of Hyderabad, was admitted to Sree Vijaya Hospital in 2014 for delivery under the care of Dr. V Vijayalakshmi Rao. She underwent a cesarean section during which anaesthetist Dr. Nagabhushana Rao administered anaesthesia.
Immediately after receiving the injection, Naseemunisa complained of severe pain, accompanied by a shock-like sensation in her left leg. She soon experienced numbness, loss of sensation, and persistent difficulty in walking due to weakness and tingling in the limb.
Petition filed in 2016
Claiming that the negligence had caused permanent injury affecting her mobility and day-to-day life, Naseemunisa and her husband filed a petition in 2016 before the State Consumer Commission seeking Rs 40 lakh as compensation for medical negligence, medical expenses, and other damages.
After detailed hearings, the Commission’s bench, comprising in charge president Meena Ramanathan and member VV Seshubabu, concluded that the doctors had failed to identify and address the complications appropriately.
The ruling held that improper administration of spinal anaesthesia had adversely impacted the woman’s nervous system.
Rs 2 L compensation, 1 L for medical expenses
In its judgment, the Commission directed Sree Vijaya Hospitals to pay Rs 2 lakh as compensation, Rs 1 lakh towards medical expenses, and an additional Rs 20,000 to cover incidental expenses.
