The Consumer District Redressal Forum of Bangalore Urban District dismissed a complaint of deficient service against St. Johns Medical College Hospital. The complainant J V Krupakar claimed damages of Rs. 5 lakh for unsatisfactory service.

After going through all the documents produced by the hospital, MN Shankar Bhat, president. Consumer District Redressal Forum Bangalore Urban District ruled that the complainant had failed to prove the deficiency service on the part of the hospital.

He ruled, "We accept the explanation given by the hospital that at that time all the ventilators were in use. They had taken immediate steps to shift the patient to Mallya Hospital where the patient was given required treatment and put on the ventilator but she died". The complaint was dismissed.

The complainant told the Forum that his wife, J K Bharati was admitted to St. Johns Medical College Hospital on April 24, 2000 as she was suffering from headache. Tests were done and it was shown that she was suffering from cerebral cortical atrophy. She was treated, but on May 19, 2000 the duty doctor was told that she was not breathing. The senior doctor who was brought immediately told the complainant and his children for that the patient needed a ventilator and there was no need to spare a ventilator available at that time.

The family was asked to shift the patient to Mallya Hospital where she died on May 20, 2000. The complainant alleged that his wife's death occurred due to the negligence of the doctors of the St. Johns Hospital.

Dr. Premnath Pais, professor and head, department of Medicine and vice dean St. Johns Hospital filed an affidavit to say that the hospital doctors had taken all the required care in treating the patient. But she succumbed in spite of the best efforts of the doctors.