'Fortis murdered 7-year-old Adya': Haryana govt panel finds hospital guilty
A Haryana government panel has found Gurugram's reputed Fortis Hospital guilty of medical negligence and unlawful conduct. Its blood bank license and land lease may be canceled. This comes weeks after parents of a seven-year-old dengue patient who died in September accused Fortis of charging Rs. 16L for a two-week treatment. "It isn't a death, it's a murder," said Haryana health minister Anil Vij.
The case of Baby Adya that outraged the nation
In November, Jayant Singh alleged Fortis didn't take care of daughter Adya: there were no doctors during weekends; the hospital harassed them for bill payments; and used expensive medicines instead of generic ones. The medicine bill alone was Rs. 4L. Medical consumables included 2,700 gloves! They didn't arrange a proper ambulance when he was shifting her out either. She was pronounced dead at Rockland.
Fortis made profits of up to 1,737% on branded medicines
Vij said a major lapse was not following proper protocol: Fortis didn't provide Adya an advanced life-support-system ambulance, thus causing her death. It didn't follow MCI's guidelines either and supplied "costly" branded medicines despite generic ones being available, leading to profits of 108%-1,737% in different cases. Moreover, "doctors carried out transfusion of platelets 25 times and there was overcharging on this count".
Fortis didn't uphold MoU with Haryana govt either
Fortis was found to have breached more rules. They didn't intimate the local civil hospital about the dengue patient in their care, which hospitals have to do. It had also violated its MoU with the Haryana government over the plot of land where it's located. The MoU required it to provide 20% hospital beds at cheaper rates to economically weaker sections, but it didn't.
Fortis offered Rs. 25L to Adya's family to keep quiet?
Meanwhile, Jayant Singh has alleged Fortis tried to buy him out. "Senior members of Fortis met me, offered me a cheque worth Rs. 10,37,889 refunding the entire amount." On top of that, they allegedly offered him Rs. 25L in cash for not taking legal action against the hospital. Adya's parents have alleged the hospital forged their signatures on two consent forms during her treatment.
Fortis responds to allegations
Fortis said it hasn't yet received a copy of the panel's report. However, it had offered "complete cooperation" and provided all documents "as required by them". In Adya's case, "our medical team provided the best possible care in the given circumstances." "Fortis remains committed to the highest standards of medical excellence and compassionate patient care." However, it hasn't responded to Singh's allegations.
Govt considers cancelling blood bank license, land lease
Haryana now plans to file an FIR against the hospital for negligence that caused Adya's death. It is also mulling suspending its blood bank license and will ask a HUDA committee to consider cancelling Fortis' land lease.
