Kozhikode: Investigations into a medical negligence case against Kozhikode Medical College have revealed that a pair of forceps used during a caesarean section were left inside the woman's body for five years. Two doctors and two nurses have been found guilty of medical negligence.
The pair of forceps was allegedly left inside the stomach of Harshina Malayil Kulangara from Kozhikode during the caesarean section in 2017. It was removed from her body in 2022. The investigation report of the city police assistant commissioner stated that the forceps belonged to the medical college.
The report has been handed over to the DMO and a medical board will be set up to determine the action that is to be taken against the negligent doctors and nurses. It is likely that the medical board will take up the case in the first week of August.
Harshina, who is on a sit-in-demonstration in front of the medical college said that truth will always prevail and her agitation will continue till the culprits are punished. Harshina's caesarian section was done at the Institute of Maternal and Child Health clinic attached to the medical college. After the surgery, she experienced excruciating pain in her stomach and consulted many doctors. But her pain could not be revealed. During one such consultation, the doctor suggested she get a CT scan of her stomach.
In 2022, the CT scan report showed a pair of forceps of 12 cm in length and 6 cm in width inside her stomach. Harshina approached the medical college and surgery was done by the Maternal and Child Health clinic to remove the forceps. After this, Harshina lodged a complaint against the medical college and approached the health minister demanding action against the negligent doctors and nurses.
Kerala health minister Veena George ordered two departmental enquiries. Both inquiry committees examined whether the forceps belonged to the medical college and ruled out allegations of medical negligence as no forceps had gone missing from the instrument register of the medical college. The medical college, in turn, tried to put the blame on Thamarassery Government Hospital where Harshina underwent caesarean sections earlier in 2012 and 2016. But, no metal was detected in Harshina's body during an MRI scan that was done in Kollam in February 2017 and it was revealed that the forceps were not there in her body before that.
Earlier, the state government had announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh for Harshina from the Chief Minister's relief fund. But, Harshina said that the Rs 2 lakh compensation was ridiculous. As two subsequent investigations conducted by the health department failed to establish as to when the forceps got implanted inside Harshina's stomach, the state Cabinet decided to conduct an investigation by the home department. Harshina has demanded action against the culprits along with a compensation of at least Rs 50 lakh.
