Woman gets Hepatitis-B after blood transfusion, Escorts to pay Rs 50,000

Escorts Heart Institute and Research Centre has been ordered by the national consumer disputes redressal commission to pay Rs 50,000 to a woman, who had contracted Hepatitis-B after a blood transfusion for a cardiac surgery.

The apex consumer commission’s judgment came on an appeal by Escorts against an order of the state consumer commission of Delhi, which had held the hospital guilty of negligence and rendering deficient service and had asked it to pay Rs 50,000 to her.

“We agree with the findings of the state commission that keeping in view the facts of the case in their totality, a compensation of Rs 50,000 is reasonable and justified. We uphold the order of the state commission. The institute is directed to pay the respondent Rs 50,000,” a bench said.

In her complaint, Chandigarh resident Harbans Kaur Chawla had said she had undergone a cardiac surgery at Escorts on January 30, 1995 when she was administered four units of blood. Some months later, she began experiencing loss of appetite and drowsiness, and developed fever on March 29, 1995. On undergoing tests at PGI in Chandigarh, it was found that she had contracted Hepatitis B due to transfusion of blood during surgery.