Kerala Doctor operates on 4-year-old’s tongue instead of finger, suspended after outrage

Mangalore Today News Network/News18

Kozhikode, May 17, 2024: In a shocking and bizarre case of medical negligence, a doctor at Kozhikode Medical College in Kerala operated on a four-year-old’s tongue instead of finger. He was suspended after he operated on the tongue of the girl who was supposed to undergo surgery for the removal of her sixth finger.

 

State Health Minister Veena George suspended Associate Professor Dr Bijon Johnson after receiving a report from the Director of Medical Education. The family of the girl has also filed a police complaint under IPC Sections 336 (endangering the life or personal safety of others) and 337 (causing hurt by an act endangering the life or personal safety of others).

The family said that their four-year-old had gone inside the operation theatre for the removal of her sixth finger. Theiy were shocked when she came out with an operated tongue instead of finger. When questioned, the hospital authorities said that the doctor had found a cyst on the girl’s tongue.

The Superintendent of Mother and Child Department of Kozhikode Medical College said that an problem in the tongue of the girl was noticed when the child cried and, hence, it was surgically removed.

The family of the girl said that she had no such issues with her tongue and also called the doctor’s act “shameful”. One of the family members said that hospital authorities had informed them that it was a mistake with two surgeries scheduled on the same day.