Date:15/03/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/03/15/stories/2007031521610500.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Bereaved family members accuse hospital of `negligence'

Staff Reporter

Relatives accuse HOSMAT of negligence for youth's death

BANGALORE: The family of the teenager who died at Hosmat Super Speciality Hospital here on Monday night is weighing options on the future course of action to be taken against the hospital. The family and friends of the boy have alleged negligence by the hospital that resulted in the teenager's death.

They had staged a protest in front of the hospital on Tuesday after Jiju K. Thampi (18) died on Monday with complications arising out of fat embolism, a medical phenomenon where the fat from bone marrow enters the blood stream leading to the failure of vital organs.

A complaint has been lodged against two doctors of the hospital with the Ulsoor police, he said.

Refuting the charges made by the relatives of Jiju, sources in Hosmat said Jiju did not die because of medical negligence, but because of massive fat embolism, that occurred suddenly. Although it was a rare condition, the mortality rate was high, the sources added.

Meanwhile, Sheela Devi, the teenager's mother, who worked as a domestic help in Saudi Arabia, had been admitted to a private hospital in Viveknagar after she lost consciousness when the body was being taken away for the funeral. The post mortem was conducted in Bowring Hospital.