First said 'sorry' and later changed story; lapses
repeating at Kozhikode Medical College
Saturday 18 May, 2024 The latest in the series of disturbing and unpleasant f
acts coming out about the Kozhikode Medical College
Hospital is the strange action of the doctor who mistakenly operated on the
tongue of a four-year-old girl who was supposed to undergo surgery on the sixth
finger of her left hand. The child from Cheruvathur did not come in a rush to
remove the extra little finger on her hand. The family came for the surgery
with the child on the day prescribed by the doctor after consulting the doctor
a few days ago and completing all the tests for the finger surgery. It means
that the family's haste was not the cause of the doctor's mistake. When the
shocking truth that the surgery was done on the child's tongue was brought to
the attention, the doctor and the superintendent first said 'sorry' and later
changed the story.Supreme court stand that punitive policy is essential; steps
should be taken to implement it as soon as possible
Those who make up stories to justify an organ
transplant by mistake should not be called doctors. The family members noticed
that the child had cotton in her mouth when the child was shifted from the
operation theatre to the ward. The doctor also understood the shocking fact
that the wrong surgery was performed only when they asked about it. The doctor
who operated on the little finger of the child who was transferred back to the
operation theatre also presented a story that the child's tongue was first
operated on because she had tongue tie (ankyloglossia). Meanwhile, the family
says that there was no problem with the child's tongue. Even if there is a
problem with her tongue, how can a doctor perform any surgery, without the
written permission of the family, on a child who has been brought to the
theatre for another surgery? Even if the issues of morality are put aside,
don't the legal issues remain?The Minister of Health announced an investigation
and suggested the suspension of the doctor involved in the mistake as soon as
the incident became controversial, but are such errors occurring during
treatment similar to errors occurring in other fields? A woman named Harsheena,
who is suffering from health problems due to doctors leaving scissors in her
stomach after C-section surgery, is still fighting for justice. The same
Kozhikode Medical College Hospital also witnessed an incident in which a
hospital employee molested a woman who was in the ICU in a semi-conscious state
after surgery. In all these incidents, the hoaxes played by the hospital
authorities and the health department to save face and protect the culprits
have already come to light. The findings of the investigation into the tongue surgery
remain to be seen.Kozhikode Medical College Hospital started in 1957, is almost
as old as Kerala itself. Such lapses repeating at a government medical centre
with a huge heritage and reputation is a blow to the hospital's credibility
itself. It is not good at all to see the government hospital on which tens of
thousands of patients, the common people of Malabar, depend the most. It is not
enough to conduct an honest and fair investigation into the surgery on the
wrong organ and take strict action against the culprits. The health department
should prepare for a comprehensive investigation into the lapses related to the
Kozhikode Medical College hospital. Genuine treatment should be done by
identifying the disease and not by looking at the symptoms.
Doctor to be questioned today; Medical board meeting to
happenGENERALKozhikode Medical College Hospital facing another controversy;
allegation that rod for leg was mistakenly used for arm fractureGENERALRod
change in fracture surgery in Kozhikode Medical College; Ortho dept head denies
allegationsGENERALAnother surgery lapse in Kozhikode Medical College; youth
complaints of placing rod in wrong handEDITORIALSchools reopening soon, drug
mafias also rampant; Police and Excise Department must act soon
Prof. John Kurakar
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