The Chennai North District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has ordered a Chennai hospital and its gynaecologist to pay Rs 33.65 lakh for medical negligence that led to a 24-week-old premature baby losing all five fingers of his right hand to gangrene. The ruling, issued recently, includes Rs 23.65 lakh for treatment costs, Rs 10 lakh for the infant’s pain and suffering, and Rs 10,000 for litigation costs.

The case stems from an unauthorized cervical pessary procedure performed on the baby’s mother at 22 weeks of pregnancy during fertility treatment. The Commission found the hospital and doctor failed to justify the procedure’s emergency need or obtain proper consent, leading to preterm delivery at 24 weeks.

Post-delivery, while in the NICU, the baby developed early signs of gangrene, resulting in the amputation of his right hand’s fingers. The Commission criticized the lack of testing or medical necessity for the procedure, which caused severe complications.

This ruling aligns with similar cases, such as a 2023 NCDRC decision upholding Rs 10 lakh compensation for a patient’s gangrene-related finger amputation due to ICU negligence, highlighting ongoing concerns about medical accountability in India.

Also Read: Allahabad HC Slams Private Hospitals for Treating Patients as 'ATM Machines'

Also Read: Tamil Nadu CM Stable After Health Scare