Apollo Gleneagles Hospital in Kolkata has raked up a controversy when it claimed that there was no negligence in the treatment of Kuheli Chakraborty, a four-month-old girl who died at the hospital a few months ago but the hospital authorities were ready to pay the
compensation as directed by the West Bengal Clinical Establishment Regulatory Commission (WBCERC).
The hospital authorities have written a letter to the family members of Kuheli on Saturday saying that they were ready to pay the compensation but there was no the negligence in her treatment. The victim's parents, however, refused to take the compensation money and demanded that those whose negligence led to the patient's death must be punished.
They were also shocked at the claim of the hospital who want to "wash off" their hands from what harm they had caused to Chakraborty's family. Kuheli's family members have categorically mentioned that they would not accept the money as they want punishment for those who were responsible for the baby's death.
It can be mentioned here that WBCERC, set up by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to fix the accountability of the private hospitals in the state, had passed its judgment a few months back holding the private hospital responsible for the negligence in the treatment and directed the West Bengal Medical Council to take steps against errant doctors.
WBCERC had imposed a compensation of Rs 30 lakh fine on the Apollo Gleneagles Hospital in Kolkata for negligence resulting in the death of Kuheli Chakraborty. The WBCERC during the investigation found that there was negligence on the part of these three doctors — Dr Mahesh Goenka, Dr Vaishali Roy Srivastava and Dr Sanjay Mahabar.
Kuheli, was admitted to Apollo Gleneagles Hospital in April this year for a colonoscopy where she died later of an anaesthetic overdose. According to Kuheli's father, Abhijit Chakraborty, the victim was left unattended for a whole day when she was admitted to the hospital and was not given any food for more than 12 hours prior to a test. She was admitted to the hospital with a bleeding intestine. The hospital authorities refuted the allegations of negligence claiming the baby suffered "cardiac arrest in the recovery room".
Abhijit Chakraborty on Saturday said that they want punishment for those who were responsible for the baby's death.