Dev Raj, a farmer from Haryana, injured his right eye while harvesting the crop and approached Dr. Manocha. The doctor diagnosed redness and swelling in the eye and prescribed medicines.
However, the patient’s didn’t respond to the treatment and hence Dr. Manocha referred him to PGIMER where he was treated successfully for about a week.
It seemed that the incident blinded Dev Raj as he approached State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Haryana and made allegations against Dr. Manocha.
It was alleged that the doctor didn’t diagnose the eye properly and that was the main reason of his prolonged suffering, and even PGIMER concurred this fact. Moreover, the doctor didn’t refer me to PGIMER on time, and she should be punished for it, claimed Dev Raj.
Dr. Manocha was not intimidated by the patient’s unfounded allegations and stated that internal examination of the eye was not possible as it was red and swollen. The medicines were prescribed to alleviate these conditions so as to perform a thorough examination of the eye. And this fact is clearly mentioned in the OPD records, concluded the doctor.
The Commission could see the greed in the patient’s eye. Citing PGIMER’s medical records, the Commission observed that no doctor concurred Dr. Manocha’s diagnosis was incorrect. There was swelling and redness in the eye and the medicines prescribed by the doctor were as per standard.
Almost as if to reprimand the patient, the Commission observed that no one stopped him to approach PGIMER or any other hospital if he was not satisfied with Dr. Manocha’s line of treatment. Merely making allegations is not sufficient.
Dev Raj perhaps couldn’t look into the eyes of the doctor as the Commission quashed his claims.
Source: Order pronounced by State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Haryana on 2nd August, 2018