Court orders to pay Rs.30 million as compensation to disabled child Child born with disability due to medical negligence

• The court has awarded the compensation for the child’s  well-being

By Lakmal Sooriyagoda   

The Colombo District Court has ordered the State to pay a  sum of Rs.30 million as compensation to a disabled child following the  revelation that her mother had given birth to her as a disabled child  due to the negligence on the part of the doctors and staff of the  Gampaha District Hospital.  Colombo Additional District Judge Kalhari Liyanage made  this order pursuant to a lawsuit filed by child and her mother against medical negligence on the part of the hospital administration.  

The Secretary to the Ministry of Health and Attorney General were named as the defendants of this lawsuit.  

The court has awarded the compensation for the child’s  well-being after taking into consideration the long-term impacts of the  child’s disability.   

It was revealed that the complainant’s mother had attended to the maternity clinic at Gampaha District  Hospital in May 2012 and given birth to a disabled girl due to the  negligent actions of the doctors and staff at Gampaha District  Hospital.  

The complaints alleged medical negligence during labour resulted in a disability for life.