SC orders Kanti Children’s Hospital to pay Rs 3 million to victim

KATHMANDU: The Supreme Court has ordered Kanti Children’s Hospital to pay Rs 3 million as compensation to the family of a boy who was injected with the wrong vaccine.

A division bench of Justices Hari Prasad Phuyal and Til Prasad Shrestha concluded negligence by the doctor in their verdict passed on February 8. The compensation amount was determined on the full text of the verdict released on Friday.

“It has been confirmed that due to the carelessness of Kanti Children’s Hospital, the health of eight-month-old child Alok Baral has been seriously affected. The family should be compensated for the loss,” the verdict read.

In July 2016, Alok was rushed to the emergency department of the government-owned specialty children’s hospital. Alok’s father, Dhruba Kumar, filed a complaint against the hospital at the Kathmandu District Court, stating that the doctor administered a vaccine for meningitis meant for another patient to his son.

After the vaccine was given, Alok developed symptoms like breathing problems, and bladder and bowel incontinence. Citing a report prepared by Dr. Ayushma Regmi of the District Public Health Office, Kathmandu, the bench ruled that those symptoms were side effects of the meningitis vaccine administered to Alok.