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A four-year-old girl in Kerala underwent an unnecessary surgery on her tongue instead of her finger at the Government Medical College Hospital on Thursday. The shocking incident came to light when the girl's family found cotton stuffed in her mouth after the surgery and discovered that the operation had been performed on the wrong body part.
The child's family has alleged that the error occurred due to a mix-up in surgeries, as the hospital had scheduled surgeries for two children on the same day. The family has also expressed concern about the potential consequences of the surgery on the child's health.
The incident has sparked outrage in Kerala, with the state government suspending Associate Professor Dr Bejohn Johnson, who performed the surgery, pending an inquiry. The police have also registered a case against the doctor under IPC Sections 336 (endangering the life or personal safety of others) and 337 (causing hurt by an act endangering the life or personal safety of others).
The incident has raised serious questions about the quality of healthcare in government hospitals in Kerala. Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Assembly V D Satheesan has expressed shock over the incident and called for strict disciplinary action against those responsible. He has also alleged that the credibility of government hospitals is being questioned due to repeated medical errors.
The Government of Kerala has announced that a detailed inquiry will be conducted into the incident and that further action will be taken based on the findings of the inquiry. The Health Minister has also directed all hospitals in the state to ensure that protocols are followed correctly to prevent such incidents from happening again.
Source: Doctor operates on 4-year-old's tongue instead of finger in Kerala; gets suspended