Mumbai:
A shocking case of medical negligence has surfaced from Pandharpur in Maharashtra, where a doctor at a sub-district hospital allegedly removed a finger from the wrong hand of a six-year-old boy. Following the incident, the health department has set up an inquiry committee to examine how the error occurred. According to hospital officials, the child was suffering from bilateral postaxial polydactyly -- a condition in which both hands have extra little fingers. The boy was admitted on Friday (March 27) after he complained of stiffness, pain and difficulty in grip and hand movement in one of the fingers on his right hand. Doctors advised him to undergo surgery on the affected finger, as per the information.
Doctor performs surgery on wrong hand
Preliminary information suggests that the operation was supposed to be carried out on the right hand. However, the operating doctor mistakenly conducted the procedure on the left hand and removed the wrong finger. The boy's family immediately filed a complaint after finding the error.
Meanwhile, hospital authorities claimed that the child had abnormalities in both hands and argued that surgery was eventually required on the other hand as well. However, the family strongly denied this and insisted that the left hand had no complaints and did not require any intervention. After these allegations, the health department constituted a two-member panel to conduct a detailed investigation.
Family accuses hospital of negligence
The child's family said they had clearly signed the NOC permitting surgery on the right hand. They alleged that despite this, the doctor performed the procedure on the left hand. They demanded strict action against those responsible. Meanwhile, doctors maintained that the condition existed in both hands but the family reiterated that only the right hand required surgery. Officials stated that further steps will be decided after the inquiry committee submits its report.