Needless c-section: Writ seeks Tk25 lakh compensation from Noakhali hospital

A Supreme Court lawyer on Thursday filed a writ petition at the High Court seeking compensation of Tk25 lakh from a private hospital in Noakhali for doing a caesarean section (c-section) on a woman who did not need it.

Lawyer Md JR Khan Robin filed the writ petition on behalf of the woman – Rima Sultana Nipa. The health secretary and seven others were made respondents in the petition. 

Robin first sent a legal notice to the authorities concerned on September 4 seeking compensation for the damage already done to Rima, but they did not respond to the notice. Following that, Robin filed the writ petition at the High Court.   

"Rima Sultana Nipa was admitted to the Trust One Hospital in Noakhali with pain before childbirth on June 8. The hospital then told Rima's family that she must undergo a c-section to have the baby delivered," said Robin. 

"The ultrasonogram report, however, did not show much complication, and therefore, the operation was not necessary," he said.

The c-section was done on June 9. The hospital released Rima on June 12. However, on June 14, she again got admitted to the same hospital with an infection. 

The hospital primarily acknowledged that there was an infection, but did not take her case seriously. After repeated requests, the hospital later brought two doctors from another hospital who suggested that Rima should be shifted to the BRB Hospital in Dhaka. 

"The doctors at BRB Hospital performed another surgery on June 20, and Rima's health started to improve after that," Robin said. 

He cited the doctors of BRB Hospital as saying that the c-section was not necessary.