The family of a 14-year-old Pune school girl, India's first swine flu fatality, would seek a Rs five crore compensation from two private hospitals and a doctor, against whom they have filed a criminal complaint alleging medical negligence, the family's lawyer said on Friday.
Asif Lampwala, representing victim Reeda Shaikh's family, told media persons that notices have been sent to Jehangir and Ruby Hall hospitals as well as Dr Sanjay Agarwal against whom a complaint had been filed in the consumer court, alleging medical negligence leading to her death.
Reeda had succumbed to the deadly virus on August 3 while in treatment at the Jehangir hospital.
The deceased girl's family had alleged that Reeda's blood samples were sent by Jehangir Hospital to Ruby Hall clinic for H1N1 testing when it should have referred it to designated National Institute of Virology (NIV).
Ruby clinic sent test result as negative for the virus within an hour employing rapid testing methods, which resulted in delay in giving proper treatment to the girl, according to the family.
The samples subsequently tested positive for H1N1 infection at the second test carried out at NIV. Jehangir hospital had contended that the girl had shown 'non-specific' symptoms at the time of admission on July 27 and when H1N1 infection to her was confirmed at NIV on July 31, the hospital had alerted health authorities putting the patient on the prescribed anti-viral Tamiflu tablet.
