'Surgery not mistake as doctors found knot under kid's tongue'; KGMCTA issues strange statement

KOZHIKODE: The Kerala Government Medical College Teachers' Association(KGMCTA) condemned the decision to suspend an associate professor over the unfortunate error in the surgery of a four-year-old child.

“The hasty suspension without fact-finding and proper investigation are unfortunate”; KGMCTA said in a statement that such measures will demoralize medical college teachers who are rendering commendable service even under adverse conditions.

The association also cried foul over the ‘smear campaign’ running rampant in media like the tongue tip of the four-year-old getting removed.

“The doctors found a knot below the tongue of the child. Due to its minute size, this might not have attracted the attention of the parents. The tongue surgery was a priority since if left untreated, this may lead to speech impairment. This surgery is not possible in children who do not have this condition. However, after the surgery, the parents requested that the surgery on the sixth finger be done right away and it was duly performed. The lump on the tongue, which looks like a spot under the tongue, has been surgically changed.” KGMCTA also requested the media to not propagate surmises that tarnish the reputation of the institution.

Associate Professor Dr. Bijon Johnson was suspended pending investigation over the erroneous surgery performed on a four-year-old child. Minister Veena George had directed the director of the medical education department to investigate the incident immediately and submit a report.