Amravati, Oct 3: The State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Circuit Bench of Amravati, has absolved a doctor of medical negligence in connection with the death of a woman who passed away shortly after childbirth in 2011.

Background of the Case: The incident dates back to April 23, 2011, when the patient delivered her child at the doctor’s hospital. She was discharged on April 26 in stable condition. On May 2, she returned complaining of abdominal pain but refused further tests like sonography and X-ray. She was referred to PDMC Hospital, where she died the same day.

Complaint Filed by Family: The woman’s maternal uncle lodged a police complaint, alleging premature discharge and negligence. The District Consumer Court later ordered the doctor to pay ₹5 lakh compensation with 9% interest, holding her accountable.

Medical Board’s Findings: A Medical Board led by the Civil Surgeon and senior gynaecologists at General Hospital, Amravati, examined hospital records and the postmortem report. It concluded that the death resulted from rupture of the urinary bladder, possibly due to abdominal massage at home, and not from the doctor’s treatment.

Commission’s Observations: The State Commission observed that if the bladder had ruptured during delivery or before discharge, a greater quantity of fluid would have been found in the abdomen. The two litres detected suggested the rupture occurred within 24 hours of death, after the patient had left the doctor’s care.

Doubts on Postmortem Report: The bench noted irregularities in the postmortem report, including the later addition of the word “old” in different handwriting, hinting at possible tampering by relatives to strengthen the claim.

Final Verdict: Stating that septicemia can arise from multiple causes, including poor hygiene or external infection, the Commission ruled that negligence was not proven against the doctor. The earlier District Consumer Court order was overturned, and the complaint dismissed.