THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Thrissur Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has ordered a hospital to pay a compensation of Rs 25,000 after a child allegedly developed a kidney ailment after being administered a medicine banned by the Central Government. As per the complaint filed by Mr MV Joy of Koorakkattukannu, Thrissur, he had taken his son Tom Varghese to St James Hospital in March 2011, after he complained of abdominal pain while urinating. He was treated by Dr Betty, a paediatrician who prescribed three medicines. However, the condition of the boy became worse and there was blood in his urine.
He was taken to another doctor who advised the patient to continue the medicine. Later, based on certain test results, the doctor informed Mr Joy that his son had developed kidney problems and asked him to consult a nephrologist. The child was taken to Little Flower hospital, Angamaly where he was diagnosed with acute Hematuria. Here, Dr.Cherian Joseph pointed out that the illness was caused by a medicine named Nimesulide. The prescribed Nimesulide formulation was banned by the Central Government a month earlier.
The father then moved the consumer forum. The doctor contested that there was a viral infection already that had affected the urinary bladder. Also, there was no proof of this particular medicine causing blood in the urine. Further, the Central Government ban on the medicine was later stayed by the Madras High Court. After examining various parties, the forum observed that the doctors were liable to keep themselves informed on the legality of medicines. No stock register or proof was produced before the forum to show that there was no stock of this medicine in the hospital immediately after its ban came into force.
