Surgery performed on four-year-old's tongue instead of finger; Medical College Associate Professor suspended

KOZHIKODE: Associate Professor Dr Bijon Johnson of the Kozhikode Medical College has been suspended pending investigation following a complaint that a four-year-old girl underwent an incorrect surgical procedure at the Medical College Hospital. The action was taken after Health Minister Veena George directed the director of the medical education department to investigate the incident immediately and submit a report. The minister also directed to conduct a detailed investigation and take further action. The minister gave strict instructions to the hospitals to strictly follow the protocols.

Meanwhile, the girl's family has lodged a complaint with the police over the incident. The child has been discharged from the hospital after the treatment. The superintendent of the Medical College had earlier announced that action would be taken against the doctor who caused the surgical error. The child, who was admitted for surgical removal of the sixth finger, was operated on her tongue. The child, a native of Madhura Bazar in Cheruvannur, was brought to the Kozhikode Medical College for surgery as her sixth finger was getting stuck in her hair and getting injured. Noticing cotton on her mouth after the surgery, her relatives asked the nurse about it. When they changed the cloth on her hand, the sixth finger was still there.

Her relatives said that when they asked the nurse about it, her response was a smile. The nurse said the surgery was over and advised the family to give ice cream to the girl. The doctor realized the mistake when the relatives said the operation was to be done on her hand. The doctor apologized and said that it was a mistake on his side and immediately performed another operation and removed the sixth finger.

The superintendent of the Medical College said that she had a tongue-tie surgery. However, the relatives said that the girl did not have any such problem and that they did not come for that surgery. After receiving further explanation from the doctor and the superintendent, the relatives decided to take further steps.