Parents of a three-year-old girl, who allege that their child lost sight in both her eyes due to the negligence of a doctor, have approached Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis seeking re-investigation into the case.
In 2012, Sujit Rai, who belongs to Waghapur village on the outskirts of the city, had admitted his wife Roshni to a local private hospital where she delivered a premature baby girl later named by them as Bhumika. She was sent to Chirayu Child Criticare run by Dr Sanjeev Joshi.
"After a few days, we noticed the girl's eyes turning red and reported the matter to the doctor. However, he ignored it and treated the child with some drugs," he claimed.
However, within a month, her eyes turned white and a local ophthalmologist said the child had lost sight in one eye and infection had spread to the other eye, Rai said.
"We took Bhumika to various renowned eye hospitals across the country and spent a huge sum of amount for her treatment. But the experts at Chennai, Hyderabad and Nashik expressed their inability in restoring her lost eyesight of the little. She is completely blind," he said.
The parents then approached the district consumers grievances redressal forum with a complaint against the doctor which was challenged by the latter before the National Commission, which in turn ordered the district forum to hear the complaint on a day to day basis and pass an order within three months time.
The District Forum has complied with the direction of the National Commission and passed an order against the erring doctor and asked him to pay the compensation to the tune of about Rs. 20 lakh to the girl.
Meanwhile, Sujit Rai lodged a complaint with the Wadgaon road Police Station alleging that his daughter became totally blind due to the negligence of the doctor. Accordingly, the Wadgaon Road Police have filed an FIR against the doctor under section 338 of IPC before the court.
The court has on December 16, 2014 ordered the Wadgaon Road Police to reinvestigate the case. But, the police have, instead of procuring the original case paper of the patient from the hospital, wound up the investigation.
"The investigation by the police is totally aimed to safeguarding the doctor as he is an influential person in the city. Therefore, we have sent a letter to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis requesting him for justice," he said.
