Doctors at the Government District Hospital in Palakkad are facing intense public scrutiny and protests after they denied responsibility for the tragic amputation of a nine-year-old girl’s hand, an outcome that followed her treatment for a fracture. This stance from the medical community has ignited widespread outrage and prompted urgent demands for accountability. Political and social organizations, including the Youth Congress, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and the Welfare Party of India, have organized protest marches, demanding swift action against the medical professionals involved.
The devastated mother of the young girl has declared her intention to pursue legal action against the doctors. Meanwhile, the Kerala Government Medical Officers Association (KGMOA) has called for a thorough investigation into the incident, while also condemning what it describes as attempts to unfairly tarnish the reputation of the doctors.
The Tragic Incident
The story began on September 24 when nine-year-old Vinodini, a resident of Pallassana, was admitted to the district hospital after sustaining fractures below her right elbow from a fall. Her initial treatment involved plastering the injured hand. However, her condition tragically deteriorated, ultimately necessitating the amputation of her hand at the Government Medical College Hospital (MCH) in Kozhikode.
In response to the mounting pressure, Government District Hospital Superintendent P.K. Jayasree and District Medical Officer (DMO) T.V. Rosh stated on Sunday that Vinodini’s parents failed to bring her back to the hospital promptly. They claimed that the parents had been explicitly advised to return if the girl experienced persistent pain or if her hand showed any discoloration. Hospital authorities asserted that Vinodini’s hand might have been saved had her parents sought further medical attention earlier. They maintained that appropriate treatment for the fracture and wound was provided initially. Dr. Jayasree elaborated, “We instructed them to return if she experienced pain, but they only came back on September 30, at which point we referred her to Kozhikode.”
Doctors Claim Rare Complications
The medical team argued that Vinodini’s severe complications were uncommon and had no connection to the plaster cast or bandage applied. They emphasized that every possible measure was taken at the district hospital and expressed their willingness to cooperate with any investigation. Dr. Tony Joseph, head of the Orthopaedic department at the district hospital, stated that the exact cause of the severe deterioration leading to the child’s hand amputation remains ambiguous. He advocated for a comprehensive investigation specifically focusing on the events at the Kozhikode MCH.
However, Vinodini’s mother, Praseetha, vehemently refuted the doctors’ assertions. She claimed that the medical staff had trivialized her daughter’s injury, merely prescribing ointment. “We informed them about the intense pain and inability to move her fingers on September 25, but they dismissed our concerns, attributing it solely to the fracture,” Ms. Praseetha recounted.
As of Sunday, Vinodini’s condition remained critical. Ms. Praseetha accused the doctors of attempting to conceal a significant medical error that resulted in her child’s amputation. She revealed that she has sought assistance from Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and reiterated her firm resolve to pursue legal recourse. Manoj P.G., district president, and Vaisak Balan, secretary of the KGMOA, while endorsing a thorough investigation, denied any treatment lapses at the district hospital. They maintained that the child suffered from a rare medical complication.
In a related development, Chief Minister Vijayan has instructed the Director of Medical Education to investigate claims that doctors at the Kozhikode MCH expedited the amputation procedure without exploring all alternatives. Adding to the calls for justice, lawyer and activist Kulathur Jaising has demanded action against the doctors at Kozhikode MCH, alleging they performed the amputation without adequately exploring alternative treatment options for the child.