AIIMS Rishikesh Fined Rs 60,000 For Giving Incorrect HIV Report

HARIDWAR, 6 May 2019: The Haridwar consumer forum imposed a fine of ₹ 60,000 on All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Rishikesh for “giving an incorrect HIV report to a fit person.”

Observing that the premier institution “delivered inadequate services thereby causing mental trauma to the complainant”, the court ordered that the amount be paid within a month.

Naseem Ali, the complainant, who is a resident of Bhagwanpur in Haridwar district, had visited a private hospital in Roorkee for first-aid after suffering an injury on July 12, 2014. There he found that his blood was not clotting properly, following which he was immediately admitted to the hospital. After three days of treatment, he was referred to AIIMS Rishikesh. At AIIMS, tests were conducted and he was told that he was HIV positive.

However, when his health deteriorated, his family took him to Shri Mahant Indiresh Hospital where he was detected as HIV negative on July 28.

In January 2015, Ali registered a complaint with the district consumer forum against Roorkee-based Dr BS Saini Kalawati Hospital, AIIMS Rishikesh and United India Insurance company.

Observing carelessness in treatment on part of AIIMS Rishikesh, the consumer forum accepted the case and last month slapped a penalty of ₹ 50,000 and an additional ₹ 10,000 on the institution for “wasting the complainant’s time and energy”.

The order, which was issued on April 22, reads, “Ensure payment of ₹ 50,000 and ₹ 10,000 within one month for incorrect treatment. And in case the amount is not paid within a month, then you will be liable to pay this amount at 6% annual interest.”

SK Bhama, an advocate who was involved in the case, told TOI, “The court observed that the test result caused mental trauma and social problems to the man.”

Meanwhile, Dr Manoj Gupta, a spokesperson of AIIMS Rishikesh, said that the institution will appeal against the judgement in a higher court. “We will appeal against the judgement in the state consumer forum. It was a documentation error and probably the very next day, it became clear to the patient that his report was negative. And nowhere in the discharge papers was it mentioned that the patient was HIV positive.”ET Healthworld