Udupi, 23 June

A senior Nurse in Udupi was on Monday awarded Rs 13.49 lakh in compensation by the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission after she lost a job opportunity in Saudi Arabia due to a false hepatitis C diagnosis.

Shivakumar Shettigar, 43, a qualified industrial nurse from Udupi, was slated to join the United Medical Response Company in the gulf nation this February.

However, a pre-departure medical test conducted at the National CT Scanner and Diagnostic Center in Mangaluru incorrectly indicated that he was positive for Hepatitis C, a condition that disqualifies candidates under Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) medical norms.

Distressed by the result, Shettigar underwent follow-up testing at a private lab in Manipal and at the district government hospital in Udupi, both of which confirmed he was negative.

Alleging negligence and the use of faulty kits, Shettigar moved the consumer forum, claiming the lab’s error cost him not only the job but also significant emotional and financial distress.

According to a court directive, after examining evidence and hearing both parties, the commission ruled in Shettigar’s favour on 21 May, 2025, directing the diagnostic centre to pay Rs 13.49 lakh in damages within 45 days, with a 6 per cent annual interest applicable in case of default.

The compensation amount accounts for three years of lost income (estimated at Rs 82,584 per month), in addition to medical costs and mental agony.