Doctor apologized for his mistake until complaint was filed, reveals girl’s mother

KOZHIKODE: Nihala, the mother of the four-year-old girl, who was mistakenly operated on her tongue instead of her finger, reacted to the incident. She told a media that the doctor said that her daughter had a tongue problem only when the incident became controversial and apologized to the complainant saying that it was a mistake.

'After filing the complaint, the doctor said that she had a problem on her tongue. She is a well-spoken child. There was nothing wrong on her tongue. ‘If she had a problem with the tongue, how can the surgery be done without conducting any other tests,’ asked the girl’s mother.

Ayesha Rua, the only daughter of Rashiq and Nihala, was admitted to Kozhikode Medical College in Cheruvannur Madur Bazar to remove the sixth finger on her left hand. The family was surprised when she was brought to the ward with a bandaged tongue. There was blood and her finger was not removed. When pointed this, the nurse replied, ‘never mind, it was a mistake’. The girl’s sixth finger was removed through another surgery and she was discharged in the evening.

Soon after her family lodged a complaint with the medical college police, associate professor Dr Bejohn Johnson said the girl had an issue on her tongue as well. Health Minister Veena George sought an emergency report after the issue stoked a controversy. The doctor was suspended based on the DMO’s report.