Cases of right to health

7/25/2019 Cases of right to health

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ASHOK KUMAR SINGH VERSUS STATE OF BIHAR

2015 CRILJ4352, HIGH COURT OF PATNA

DECIDED ON: 18.05.2015

BENCH STRENGTH: 1

CORAM: J. ASHWANI SINGH

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states that whoe#er causes the death of a $erson% by a rash or negligent

act not a&ounting to cul$able ho&icide shall be $unished with an

i&$rison&ent for a ter& of two years or with 'ne or with both!

()! It would show up from the assertions made in the

complaint petition that there is a dubious and omnibus

charge of carelessness against the applicant No. 1 and the

anesthetist, Dr. Viash !umar, who has not been supported

b" an independent medical master. #ithout an" e$pert

medical report it is ha%ardous to straight&wa" reach an

inference that there is a prima facie case against the

petitioners for committing the o'ence of criminal medical

negligence.

1( one should need to ponder upon the issue that after the

occurrence of some unfortunate e)ent, there is propensit"

to put allegation upon medical e$perts.it has been obser)ed

that the relationship between doctor and patient is

changing in this commercial medical practice which has

witnessed a trend in launching medical prosecution against


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the medical practitioners in recent times. *n the other side,

there can be negati)e result of the treatment and the

patient suspects negligence on the part of the doctor due to

their ailing.

(*! If an" action taen b" the doctor in good faith then the"

are immune from criminal action taen b" an" one on them.

+owe)er, the medical professionals are dul" protected if the

action is taen in good faith. he criminal law has constantl"

put the restorati)e e$perts on a platform not the same as

customar" mortals.

- careful scrutin" of Sections (, (1, ((, /0 and / I23

would mae it clear that the Indian 2enal 3ode, 1(/ has

taen care to ensure that a medical professional, who act in

good faith, should not be punished.

30! Despite the protection gi)en to the medical professionals

under the penal code,

It has been obser)ed b" the Supreme 3ourt that man"

unsatis4ed patients are approaching the court for their

dispute resolution.

he increasing trend of litigation b" unsatis4ed patients

drew attention of the Supreme 3ourt in more than one case.

here are heap of malicious prosecution and false cases

against medical practitioners which has been ruled out b"

the hon5ble cour, until there is serious or gross negligence

established against them. he court speci4call" told that a

medical practitioner cannot be held liable while performing

the treatment which happened due to error of 6udgement or

option. +e will be liable when he has not followed the

reasonable standards of his 4eld.


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High Court quashed the entire criina! "roceeding o# edica!

neg!igence "ending $e#ore the %udicia! Magistrate& The Court he!d

that' the no criina! case under the "ro(ision o# the Indian )ena!

Code cou!d $e *!ed against the doctor #or an+ un#a(oura$!eoutcoe i# the doctor has ta,en su-cient care and acted in good

#aith&

K BA.AMURUGAN VERSUSTHE SECRETAR/ TO GO0ERNMENT'

HEA.TH AN1 FAMI./ 2E.FARE 1E)ARTMENT

20155LW?3, HIGH COURT OF MADRAS MADURAI BENCH


BENCH STRENGTH: 1

CORAM: R. MAHADEAN, J.

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5/21

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6/21

procedure and are ready for any treatment whatever doctor decides and as long as it is

free and cheap also.

(.! "he medical environment for poor and needy is very hostile as there is lack of

#uality treatment and facility. !oor heart patients and cancer patients do have to wait

for months for diagnostics and many a times they even die before their turn comes.

/hat choice do these $oor $atients ha#e Any treat&ent of

whate#er degree is a boon or a fa#our1 for the&! The stark reality is

that for a #ast &a2ority in the country1 the conce$ts of infor&ed

consent or any for& of consent1 and choice in treat&ent1 ha#e no

&eaning or rele#ance! "hey are left with no option and hence the form of

consent and choice in treatment seems meaningless here.

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(! The ode of edical 5thics drawn u$ with the a$$ro#al of the

entral 6o#ern&ent under "ection 33 of the Indian ouncil edical

Act and obser#ed is as follows7-

+5#ery doctor whether at a 6o#ern&ent 8os$ital or otherwise has

the $rofessional obligation to e9tend his ser#ices for $rotecting life!

The obligation being total1 absolute and $ara&ount1 laws of


7/21

$rocedure whether in statutes or otherwise cannot be sustained

and1 therefore1 &ust gi#e way!+:

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This order $+ the High Court o# Madras directed the go(ernent

to "ro(ide co"ensation to the "etitioner #or the death o# his

3i#e 3hich 3as caused due to the neg!igence on the "art o# the

go(ernent doctor "er#oring #ai!+ "!anning o"eration on the

deceased& 2hi!e high!ighting the su4erings o# the "oor "atient

and inadequate ser(ices "ro(ided $+ the go(ernent hos"ita!s

the court !oo,ed at the "rotection "ro(ided under the Artic!e 56

o# the Indian Constitution& The honora$!e court he!d that the

State (ia go(ernent hos"ita!s ha(e o$!igation under Artic!e 56

o# the Indian Constitution to "ro(ide eaning#u! hea!th care&

)&R& NI0E1ITHA VERSUS/& RAMA.AKSHMAMMA

I 2015 CPJ @02 NC, NATIONAL CONSUMER DISPUTES REDRESSAL

COMMISSION, NEW DELHI

DECIDED ON: [email protected]?.2015

BENCH STRENGTH: 2

CORAM: J.M. MALI PRESIDING MEMBER, DR. S. ANITAR MEMBER

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8/21

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hospital8healthcare center8dispensar" etc where

go)ernment pro)ide free ser)ice on pa"ment of nominal

charges or fee. he person a)ailing such ser)ices would fall

within the ambit of the e$pression 9ser)ice5 as de4ned in

Section 0:1;:o; of the -ct, irrespecti)e of the fact that the

ser)ice is rendered free of charge to persons who do not pa"

for such ser)ice. ;,! *nce the patient has started consuming the ser)ices, it

implies that the complainant has hired the ser)ices. It ma"

be possible that during the rele)ant time, the pa"ment was

not 4$ed or paid. ?ut it was either re6ected, conceded or

due to )eri4able obligation of a respectable calling in suchcrisis in such emergenc" cases.@

Coission he!d that the ser(ices o4ered $+ a go(ernent

hos"ita! #a!!s 3ithin the e8"ression 9ser(ices: "ro(ided under the

Consuer )rotection Act a!though such ser(ices are rendered

#ree o# charge& The Coission a!so he!d that the hos"ita! and its

1 II 2005 CPJ 35 NC


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o"erating doctor $reached their dut+ o# care $+ #ai!ing to ad(ice

the "atient #or the "ost;o"erati(e care #o!!o3;u" and "recautions&

KISHORIVERSUS)OONAM SUHAS MA.I

NATIONAL CONSUMER DISPUTES REDRESSAL COMMISSION, NEW DELHI


BENCH STRENGTH: 2

CORAM: J.M. MALI PRESIDING MEMBER, DR. S. ANITAR MEMBER

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10/21

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11/21

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*!

It is appropriate to note that, *2&0 being a

astroenterologist, ought to ha)e instructed US

concerning entire midri', rather than 6ust upper guts to rule

out di'erent causes of Fueasiness and retching, including

2regnanc". hus, according to our perspecti)e, it was an act

of e$clusion and not a sensible practice b" *2&0. he entire

abdomen scan could ha)e identi4ed earl" pregnanc" in the

instant case, and the ?arium supper stud" could ha)e been

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12/21


13/21

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specialist for this. hings ha)e turned out badl" and, along

these lines, someone must be punished for it. ?e that as it

ma", it is surel" understood that e)en the best e$perts,

what to sa" of the normal e$pert, now and again ha)e

sometimes failure. - legal counsellor can=t win each case in

his e$pert profession howe)er without a doubt he can=t be

punished for losing a case ga)e he showed up in it and

made his submission.

In the instant case the cause of &eningitis was not due to hos$ital

infection:

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14/21

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doctor=s facilit" and di'erent specialists, during deli)er" or

in the post&deli)er" period. he complainants 4led to pro)e

with apt proof that both the infants endured meningitis

after the deli)er" because of healing facilit" borne

contamination or hospital borne infection. ?ut, in the

instant case we hold the *2 1 liable for de4cienc" in ser)ice

and unfair trade practice because of untrained nurses

woring in the hospital. -bsolutel", the nature of nursing

consideration and healing facilit" administrations will be

inGuenced. 3onseFuentl", we aH$ the liabilit" upon *2&1 to

that degree as it were.

The Coission in this case he!d that the hos"ita!s 3i!! $e !ia$!e

#or ,ee"ing untrained sta4& The Coission o$ser(ed that the

untrained nurses 3or,ing in a hos"ita! 3i!! underine the qua!it+

o# nursing care and other hos"ita! ser(ices& The O);6 3as he!d

!ia$!e and 3as directed to "a+ Rs&6 .a,h to each o# the

Co"!ainants a!ong 3ith the interest o# => "&a& #ro the date o#

*!ing the Co"!aint ti!! its rea!isation&


15/21

1R& 0AISHA.I %A1HA0 VERSUS1R& 0I.AS 1HON1IRAM %AGTA)


BENCH STRENGTH: 1

CORAM: SHRI SANJA C. HAIRNAR

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16/21

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