Jaipur, Rajasthan: A Permanent Lok Adalat in Bharatpur has ordered a doctor and hospital to pay ₹23,36,774 to a woman who underwent chemotherapy after getting diagnosed with cancer, but later tuberculosis (TB) was identified as the cause of her illness.
The Lok Adalat order dated August 24, passed by Presiding Officer Gambhir Singh along with members Yogesh Kumar Sharma and Rajnikant Sharma, ordered compensation for the physical and mental suffering and financial losses linked to the treatment.
Medical Dialogues reported the case based on agency inputs and cited Advocate Rajesh Pachauri for details.
The patient, Laxmi Sharma, who is from Bharatpur, went to Bhagwan Mahaveer Cancer Hospital and Research Centre in Jaipur with abdominal pain and other health complaints. When the reports raised suspicion of cancer, chemotherapy was reportedly started without a confirmatory test.
Laxmi Sharma subsequently underwent repeated chemotherapy sessions, but her health condition did not improve. In January 2023, her family took her to Tata Memorial Hospital in Mumbai for additional evaluation of her health condition. Her new testing identified tuberculosis instead of cancer. The treatment later happened at Shri Braj Seva Samiti Tuberculosis Hospital in Vrindavan, after which her health improved with TB treatment.
Chemotherapy is used to treat cancer but can also cause major external and internal effects on the individual. Providing such treatment when cancer is not present can introduce an unnecessary risk to health and mental distress. In this case, the Lok Adalat found that the patient had been subjected to unnecessary treatment after the cancer diagnosis was later found to be incorrect.
However, the hospital staff and doctor denied negligence and shared that only ₹29,750 had been paid to the hospital, according to Medical Dialogues. But, the Lok Adalat, found the incorrect treatment had subjected the woman to unnecessary physical, emotional, and financial suffering.
Also see: Rajasthan: Alwar Hospital Licence Cancelled After Mother Dies During Child Birth
Sharma had sought ₹95 lakh in compensation which includes medical expenses and emotional distress. The Lok Adalat awarded her ₹23,36,774 as compensation. The amount adds ₹20 lakh for financial, physical and mental loss and ₹3,36,774 for medical expenses supported by bills.
(Rh/TP)