Hospital, family spar over death of NRI

A medical negligence case has been filed

However, the family of Poornima Benjamin, a US citizen, alleged that the woman died due to medical negligence and lodged a complaint with Tilaknagar police station on Thursday. A complaint has also been filed with Karnataka Medical Council. She is survived by husband and two teenage children.

According to G Prithviraj, retired Assistant Commissioner Police and Poornima's brother-in-law, Poornima came down from US and was staying with them. While she was visiting her mother-in-law in KGF, Poornima suffered from fever. She was taken to a hospital in Kolar, and was taken to Sagar Hospitals, Jayanagar, on September 12.

Prithviraj said the doctor in emergency checked her and referred her to Dr Ajit Kumar, in-charge of Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the hospital. He claimed that Poornima was shifted to the ICU without proper medical diagnosis.

Doctor accused

Poornima was put on Tamiflu, as the doctors suspected she had H1N1 Influenza. Her blood sample was also sent for H1N1 testing at a diagnostic centre, Mumbai. After being on ventilator in ICU for 50 days and suffering from H1N1 Influenza coupled with bilateral pneumonia, Poornima died on October 30. The family has accused Dr Ajit Kumar for negligence.

“In spite of giving her costly medicines, if they could not save her, what's the point” asked Prithviraj. He added that the hospital bill came to Rs 21 lakh, of which the family paid Rs 15 lakh. Meanwhile, Dr Mohan Reddy, medical director, Sagar Hospitals, said Dr Ajit Kumar was “well qualified”, and was treating patients in ICU for the last five years. "The patient came to us late. She was on ventilator and was administered Tamiflu," he said.

A source from the hospital added that Poornima, who had come to India for a property settlement, was under a lot of stress and the hospital psychiatrist had visited her.