Article 19 (1) (a)- Government Hospitals can no longer withheld information from patients, it would amounts to professional misconduct and infringement of Patients Rights- Madras High Court

BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT

DATED : 31.07.2023

CORAM

THE HON'BLE MR.JUSTICE G.R.SWAMINATHAN

W.P(MD)No.7676 of 2015

and

W.M.P(MD)No.12986 of 2017

Jothi                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   ... Petitioner

vs.

1.The State represented by

The Secretary,

Department of Health and Family Welfare,

St.George Fort, Chennai.

2.The Director of Health and

Preventive Medicine,

Teynampet, Chennai.

3.The Joint Director of Health Service,

Collectorate Buildings, Ramanathapuram.

4.The Medical Officer,

Government Hospital,

Mudukulathur, Ramanathapuram District.

5.Dr.Tamilselvi, Duty Doctor,

Government Hospital,

Mudukulathur, 

Ramanathapuram District.

6.Dr.M.Kunjaram,

Duty Nurse, Government Hospital,

Kamuthi,

Ramanthapuram District.                                                                                                                                                                                                            ... Respondents

Prayer : Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying to issue a Writ of Mandamus, directing the respondents 1 to 4 to take appropriate action upon the respondents 5 and 6 for their negligent act incurring death to a new born child of the petitioner herein and further direct the respondents 1 to 4 to pay compensation of a sum of Rs.15,00,000/- to the petitioner for the physical and mental agony incurred due to the negligent act of the respondents 5 and 6.

For Petitioner : Mr.K.R.Laxman

For Respondents : Mr.D.Gandhiraj

                                                     Special Government Pleader

                            for R.1 to R.4

                                             Mr.K.Appadurai for R.5

                                                    Mr.K.C.Ramalingam for R.6

ORDER

Kaushik Basu, a well-known economist, joined the Government of India as its Chief Economic Advisor in the year 2009. He went to the State-run Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, New Delhi on 06.01.2010 to obtain the mandatory medical fitness certificate. He recounts his encounter in his book “Policymaker's Journal”. Let me quote it in full :

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