Kerala Boy Dies After Anaesthesia For Lip Injury; Doctor Booked As Family Alleges Negligence

Thiruvananthapuram: A tragic incident has come to light from Kerala's Kerala's Kannur. An 18-month-old boy who fell unconscious after being given anaesthesia at a hospital has died, with the police registering a case against a doctor after the family alleged medical negligence. 

The deceased toddler Devansh Shaurya. the only child of T Suraj and Vijisha, residents of Eramam-Kuttoor in Kannur, had suffered a cut on his lip after falling while playing outside his home on July 5. He was first rushed to the primary health centre in Mathamangalam and given first aid, NDTV reported.

He was later taken to the Baby Memorial Hospital in Payyannur, where his wound was stitched under anaesthesia. He then reportedly lost consciousness.

Shaurya was then shifted to Baby Memorial Hospital in Kannur, where he died at around 9 pm on Friday.

The family accused a doctor, Anjali Poduval, of medical negligence, after which she was charged under Section 125 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which deals with acts endangering life or personal safety and carries a maximum punishment of three months' imprisonment.

However, Baby Memorial Hospital, which has branches in Kozhikode, Kannur, Thodupuzha, Payyanur and Vadakara, denied the allegations of medical negligence.

In a statement, the hospital said the child suffered an unexpected cardiac arrest immediately after the administration of anaesthesia and was promptly placed on ventilator support before being shifted to its Kannur hospital for advanced critical care. Every possible effort had been made to save the child's life, it said.

The hospital maintained that complications can occur following anaesthesia despite appropriate dosage and medical care and said that all accepted treatment protocols had been followed.