Decade on, court orders Dombivli's AIMS Hospital to compensate Hemchandra Naik, a former male nurse, for putting him through mental harassment after botched surgery forced him to quit job
Hemchandra Naik alleged that AIMS Hospital doctor convinced him to do the surgery though he wasn't physically fit. Pic/Datta Kumbhar
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A former male nurse, who was forced to quit his job after a surgery in 2007 went awry, finally has some reason to smile. The 67-year-old Dombivli resident, who has been fighting a medical negligence case against AIMS Hospital in Dombivli for the last 10 years, was awarded a compensation of nearly Rs 6 lakh recently.
However, the doctor, who is involved in the case, has decided to appeal against the judgement.
What happened
Hemchandra Naik, who worked as a male nurse for over three decades with several hospitals in the city, developed complications in his hips in the late 1990s due to intake of steroids.
In 1998, he underwent his first hip surgery. But, in 2005, his right hip turned septic and he was advised to go in for surgery immediately. He had to postpone it as his younger son met with an accident in the same year.
Later, in 2007, he decided to go for a hip revision surgery at the AIMS Hospital under Dr VM Shetty. However, he alleged that Dr Shetty didn't follow proper safety measures, which led to blood clot formations in his veins, medically known as deep venous thrombosis (DVT).
The complications
"For the surgery, it is essential to take fitness certificates. In my case, my echocardiogram (ECG) report showed a blockage in my heart. The cardiac surgeon had also refused to provide me with a fitness certificate. So, under this condition, the doctors shouldn't have opted for the surgery. But, they assured me that nothing would happen," Naik alleged.
Post surgery, his health deteriorated. Due to his condition, he had to not only resign from his nursing job at the National Organic Chemical Industry, but also take treatment at KEM Hospital for six months.
"I was admitted in KEM Hospital for six months. They had to first dissolve my clot, before I underwent a successful surgery. Also, every injection cost me Rs 1,500," Naik said.
Court battle
He then decided to fight his case at the consumer court later in 2007. Last month, the court ordered the hospital to pay a compensation of Rs 5.6 lakh to Naik for putting him through the mental harassment.
When contacted, Dr Shetty said that a special committee formed by JJ Hospital had looked into this case in December last year, and that he had been given a clean chit.
"I am shocked with the verdict. JJ Hospital's investigation clearly stated that there was no medical negligence. I will now appeal against it. This is not the final verdict," Dr Shetty added.
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