Mangaluru: This is the hard luck story of a daily wage worker who spent the money he did not have to cure himself of a disease he did not suffer from!
After all the pain and tormentation, he found some solace when the District Consumer Forum rendered him justice through its historic judgment by ordering three doctors from the city to pay him compensation of Rs 10 lakhs in cash. The Court has also said that the victim is entitled to get an interest of nine per cent till the final payment is done.
The court order dated April 20, 2017 directed the opposite parties- Dr Harish Chandra, Yenepoya Medical College Hospital University Road, Deralakatte, Mangalore, Dr PJ Yaranal, Yenepoya Medical College Hospital, Department of Pathology, Deralakatte Mangalore and Dr K Pushpalatha Pai, Pathologist, Senior Professor and HOD Department of Pathology, Yenepoya Medical College Hospital, Mangalore to pay Rs 10,00,000 jointly to the distressed Mukhesh.
The story
Difficulties for Mukesh from Kotimura of Kulshekara began when he noticed abdominal pain and mucus in stool several years ago. Petrified by the symptoms, Mukesh met Dr Harish Chandra,Yenepoya Medical College Hospital Deralakatte who subjected Mukesh to colonoscopy and biopsy and concluded that he had a condition called Ulcerative Colitis. He was put on medication, but when Mukesh found no improvement in his condition he re-approached Dr Harish Chandra. He was then forwarded for a sigmidoscopy and biopsy and this time, to Mukesh’s dismay, the report produced by one Dr P J Yaranal revealed that he was suffering from cancer.
Soon, acting on a single biopsy report, Dr Harish Chandra subjected Mukesh to Resectomy. The surgery was performed at Yenepoya Medical College Hospital on Aug 8, 2009. However, Mukesh’s condition went from bad to worse after surgery and he even ended up vomiting fecal matter from his mouth when he was undergoing chemotherapy at Fr Mullers Hospital in the city, as directed by Dr Harish Chandra. But, as if there was silver living, the doctors of Fr Mullers Hospital suspected that there was something that had gone wrong with Mukesh.
On obtaining the resected specimen of the bowel from Yenepoya hospital and subjecting the same to lab tests in KMC Mangaluru, Nandikoor Lab, Mangalore, Piramal Diagnostic Center in Mumbai and by Father Mullers Hospital, the four lab reports unerringly revealed therein that there was no evidence of malignancy and the final diagnosis of Fr Mullers Hospital confirmed that that he was suffering only from Solitary Rectal Ulcer.
On realising that he was subjected to all the pain without any medical emergency, Mukesh knocked at the doors of District Consumer’s Forum and the court rendered him justice by slamming a penalty of Rs 10 lakhs on three doctors.
Speaking to newskarnataka.com, Mukesh said that after his victory, he wants to take this up as a cause, so that no one suffers the way he did. He is now determined to write about the issue to Medical Council of India urging to cancel the licence of the erring medicos.
* On July 2, 2009 Mukesh approached Dr Harish Chandra following abdominal pain and mucus in stool.
* On July 4, 2009, Dr Harish Chandra subjected Mukesh to colonoscopy and biopsy and his condition was diagnosed as Ulcerative Colitis.
*On July 16, 2009 Mukesh approached Dr Harish Chandra again citing inefficacy of the treatment and recurrence of the symptoms.
* On July 18, 2009 Mukesh was subjected Sigmiodoscopy.
* On July 23, 2009 biospy report of Dr Yarnal revealed presence of cancer.
