More than ten years after many patients were filed against hepatitis-B in Gandhi Hospital’s Hospital, the TELANGANA Human Rights Commission (THC) ordered the State Government to pay 1.25 Lakh to compensate for each of the victims.
In its order of 4 July, the Commission also demanded strict steps against hospital authorities and complete overwork of public procurement protocols and verification of medicine in government hospitals.
The incident, which came to light through complaints filed in 2014 and 2015, included 16 individuals who suffered adverse effects after they got expired vaccines against antiretroviral therapy (ART).
The complainants claimed that Dr. V. Tara Devi, a researcher on Wednesday, gave vaccines despite their expiration, leading to dizziness, stomach pain, drowsiness and significant mental anxiety.
The Thrc also took Suo Motu knowledge of a newspaper report published in 2015, which revealed irregularities in the hospital medical supply system. His investigation found that the vaccines were actually expired and that the packaging showed two conflicting expiration data, one for the vaccine and the other for the syringe. While the hospital authorities claimed that the administration was unintentional and accused the manufacturer of unclear labeling, the Commission rejected the explanation and held the hospital responsible for failure in its basic and disadvantageous obligations to verify the expiry date before drug administration.
The Commission found that the report of the hospital superintendent that advocates the law to be motivated by the desire to protect the hospital staff. He also rejected the claim that the expired vaccines had low efficiency and were therefore harmless and called it medically unfounded.
Justice Shamem Akr, chairman of the Thrc, decided that the fundamental rights of victims to health, dignity and physical integrity were violated. He noted that although she was Dr. Tara Devi suspended, disciplinary measures were not enough to resolve the seriousness of violations.
The Commission ordered the main secretary of Telangany to initiate proceedings against all responsible officials, including the superintendent and supervisory staff. It also asked the government to ensure that expired or almost expired drugs were not accepted in any government medical facility. Suppliers must be made to print clear and prominent data of expiration on the external packaging and on the internal containers of all medical needs. The state government was provided two months from the date of the order to fully perform the recommendations.
Published – 17 July 2025 18:40
