Friday, the police in north Kerala filed a first information report (FIR) against a surgeon who allegedly operated on the wrong leg of a 60-year-old woman who was his patient. People who know about the case say that Health Minister Veena George has also asked the Kozhikode district medical officer to write a report about it.
Police said that the FIR was filed against Dr. B Shan under Section 366 of the Indian Penal Code, which says that a rash or careless act that puts a person’s life in danger is a crime. The woman’s story is backed up by a preliminary report from the district medical officer.
Sajina Sukumaran’s family said that she was taken to the National Hospital in Kozhikode last week for an operation on her left leg, but that the operation was done on her right leg instead.
Relatives said that at first, the doctor and hospital staff tried to cover up the mistake by saying that the woman’s right leg was also hurt and that the doctor chose “a relatively less damaged leg first.” They also said that many people tried to cover up the case and change her health records.
Sajina said that a year ago, her left leg was hurt when it got stuck in a door. She went to many doctors for help, but the pain did not go away.
On Tuesday, she went to the hospital to have surgery. “When I woke up again, I was very surprised. The surgery was done on my right leg instead of my left. But now they say there was also a block on the right leg. “It’s just a way to get away,” she said.
After the claims came out, she was moved to the medical college hospital in Kozhikode.
Her family said that in addition to the police case, they will also go to a human rights group to get the right amount of money for the “serious mistake.”
Doctors at the medical college hospital where she was getting care told her that she can’t have the “real surgery” until the cuts on her right leg are healed.
The DMO’s first report also found that both the doctor and the hospital did some very bad things. Later, a video of the hospital’s internal investigation came to light. In it, the doctor could be seen admitting that he had made a mistake and begging for help. Later, the doctor’s supposed confession went viral on social media.
