Representative image of a hospital ward.
Credit: iStock Photo
Thiruvananthapuram: Two doctors in Kerala have been placed under suspension in connection with amputation of the right hand of a nine year old girl following suspected medical negligence.
Junior resident doctor Mustafa and junior consultant Dr. Sarfaraz were placed under suspension.
Even as an inquiry by the health department concluded that there was medical negligence, the government was learnt to have placed the two doctors under suspension in view of the mounting protest.
Vinodini, daughter of Vinod and Praseetha hailing from Palakkad district, suffered a fracture on right hand in a fall on September 24. Plastering was done at the Palakkad district government hospital.
Even as the girl complained of pain, doctors who treated her reportedly maintained that blood flow was not affected and hence there was no cause for concern.
By September 30 foul smell emanated from the hand and hence she was again taken to hospital. By that time the hand got infected and had to be amputated. Now the girl is under treatment at the intensive care unit of the Kozhikode medical college hospital.
A probe by the health department concluded that there was no lapses in giving proper treatment to the girl. It also said that there was a delay in bringing the child to hospital even after she complained of pain.
The Kerala Government Medical Officers' Association strongly flayed the suspension and demanded the government to revoke the order.
"It was a rare case of medical complication and could not be considered as medical negligence. Such actions against doctors to counter public sentiments will demoralise the entire medical fraternity. The association will be forced to go on a stir if the suspension of the doctors were not revoked," the association said in a statement.