An 18-month-old boy who remained unconscious for five days after being administered anaesthesia for stitches on a cut lip has died at a private hospital in Kerala’s Kannur district. Police have registered a case against the anaesthetist following a complaint by the child’s family, while the hospital has denied allegations of medical negligence.
The death has sparked protests and placed the treatment administered at the private hospital under scrutiny. The child had suffered a minor injury while playing at home before his condition deteriorated after the procedure.
Toddler never regained consciousness after anaesthesia
The child, Devansh Shouria, died at Baby Memorial Hospital in Kannur at around 9 pm on Friday.
He was the only child of T Suraj and Vijisha, residents of Mathamangalam in Eramam-Kuttoor grama panchayat. According to the family, Devansh was born eight years after their marriage.
The incident began on July 5 when the toddler fell while playing in the courtyard of his house and sustained a cut on his lip.
His parents took him to Baby Memorial Hospital in Payyannur, where doctors decided to stitch the wound. Anaesthesia was administered before the procedure.
According to the family, the child’s condition turned critical immediately afterwards, and he never regained consciousness. He was later shifted to the hospital’s Kannur unit for advanced treatment, where he died five days later.
Police register case against anaesthetist
Earlier on Friday, the Payyannur police registered a case against Dr Anjali Poduval, the anaesthetist at Baby Memorial Hospital in Payyannur.
The case was registered on the basis of a complaint filed by the child’s relative, K Rajeevan of Kuthirummal House in Eramam.
Police booked the doctor under Section 125 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which deals with acts endangering life or personal safety. The offence carries a maximum punishment of three months’ imprisonment.
Hospital denies negligence allegations
Baby Memorial Hospital rejected allegations of medical negligence.
In an earlier statement, the hospital said the child suffered an unexpected cardiac arrest immediately after the administration of anaesthesia. It said doctors immediately placed him on ventilator support before shifting him to its Kannur hospital for advanced critical care.
The hospital said complications can occur following anaesthesia despite appropriate dosage and medical care. It maintained that all accepted treatment protocols were followed and that every possible effort had been made to save the child’s life.
Meanwhile, workers of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) staged a protest march to Baby Memorial Hospital in Payyannur, demanding action over the toddler’s death.