Sambalpur: Coming down heavily on two doctors and a private nursing home for medical negligence, a consumer disputes redressal commission in Odisha's Sambalpur district slapped a fine of nearly Rs 80 lakh on the three parties, holding them responsible for a botched up treatment that cost a patient his job apart from rendering him physically challenged. While one of the doctors Dr Suraj Jain is from VIMSAR, Burla, the other accused Dr Sanjay Bhoi is from Sambalpur-based Sparsh City hospital, a private nursing home.

The order mandated a fine of Rs 78,66,141 which included Rs 20 lakh each by both the doctors along with the nursing home along with Rs 2.41 lakh towards treatment cost of the victim and Rs 16.25 lakh for losses incurred due to medical negligence.  In case of non-payment within one month of the court’s order, they are liable to pay interest at 12% per annum from the date of filing till realization.

As per reports, the victim youth Sumit Das, a native of Mudipadar and a software engineer, was heading towards Burla from Sambalur on the night of November 8 in 2017 when he met with an accident. His right leg and arm  were badly injured and he was immediately shifted to VIMSAR's orthopaedic ward where Dr Jain came to attend to him at around 2.30 am. Sumit's brother Amit claimed that Dr Jain said his surgery would be delayed by four days at VIMSAR and asked him to shift the patient to Sparsh hospital where he could be operated within a day. As the family complied, Sumit was shifted to the private nursing home the next day where Dr Bhoi operated on him. The surgery reportedly cost around Rs 1.26 lakh and went on for 12 days. However, as opposed to the request by the victim's family for titanium implant for the fractured bone connecting his knee and ankle, the surgeons  went for a stainless steel implant  that led to infection post operation.

As there was pus formation and pain on the right ankle, the victim went to the doctor but was referred to other medical professionals and modes of treatment which went on till 2019, afflicting not just metal distress but huge financial burden on the victim. To make things worse, Sumit also got an appointment letter from Infosys during this period but due to his ailing condition, he could not take up the offer.

Meanwhile, as his health condition worsened, he consulted another doctor who confirmed that the infection was due to the stainless steel implant prompting the former to knock the doors of the consumer court for justice.

Sources said he is still under treatment. On the other hand, lawyer of the private hospital's owner shared that they  will move the Odisha State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission against the ruling.