The Consumer Court has ordered Everest Hospital and obstetrician Dr. Jyotsna Sharma Tiwari to pay 3.9 million rupees in compensation to the family of a woman who died due to medical negligence during childbirth.
The joint bench of Consumer Court Chairperson Dr. Diwakar Bhatta and Member Gehendra Raj Regmi delivered the verdict on Thursday, holding both the hospital and the doctor responsible for the death of Manita Sharma, a resident of Gothatar, Kathmandu.
Under the ruling, Everest Hospital must pay 3 million rupees, while Dr Tiwari is required to pay 900,000 rupees to the victim's family, court spokesperson Homnath Kandel confirmed.
The court based its decision on a severe medical oversight. Manita, who was suffering from pre-eclampsia (a high blood pressure pregnancy complication), was not given the mandatory medication, Magnesium Sulfate, before her surgery. Instead, the drug was administered only after the C-section, which the court ruled as a grave and fatal lapse in treatment.
Manita, who had been under Dr Tiwari’s regular care throughout her pregnancy, was rushed to Everest Hospital on December 10, 2024 with severe upper abdominal pain. She underwent an emergency C-section that evening, giving birth to a baby girl. However, her pre-existing high blood pressure led to fatal complications following the delayed medication.
Following her death, Manita’s husband, Subash Parajuli, filed a lawsuit seeking justice after initially failing to get redress from the Nepal Medical Council. The landmark decision comes after a year-long legal battle in the Consumer Court.
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