Court asks Delhi hospital to explain boy's amputation

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http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Court_to_hospital_Explain_boys_ampu

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NEW DELHI: The shocking story of medical negligence that led to a one-

year-old child having his foot amputated has moved the Delhi High

Court to ask the concerned hospital for an explanation.

 

In January, a fractured leg brought Jai to the government-run

Safdarjung Hospital in the Capital where his limb was plastered below

the waist. However, the skin festered under the cast and the foot

started to detach, necessitating its surgical separation on March 5.

 

A high court here took note of a news item, which was published in

Metronow tabloid, detailing the case.

 

A division Bench of Justice T S Thakur and S.N. Agrawal asked the

Safdarjung Hospital and the central government to file their replies

by Aug 3 on alleged medical negligence meted out to Jai.

 

The court also appointed Jubeda Begum, an advocate, to assist the

court in the matter.

 

According to a preliminary report submitted to the court, the child's

leg was plastered so tightly that a sensitive nerve got pressed,

leading to insufficient blood supply in the limb.

 

Pushpa, Jai's mother, said: " On Jan 21, we noticed boils peeping out

of the plaster and immediately rushed to hospital. "

 

When the plaster was cut open, the child's leg was covered with

boils, the skin had turned red and was peeling off, she added.

 

Jai's father Ram Babu, a tailor by profession, said: " I went to all

the senior doctors, but they refused to meet us. I went to the

medical superintendent's office, but I was told he would not meet me.

A senior official asked me to slug it out in the court if I had the

money. "

 

To the horror of both the parents, on Feb 21, the right foot of the

child simply began to detach itself from the ankle.

 

" I was horrified. I cried and pleaded with the doctors to save my

only son, " said Pushpa.

 

Jai's leg was then amputated below the ankle, leaving him crippled

for the rest of his life.

 

" It happens. It is a common thing in orthopaedic cases. Every card

issued to the patients bears a note saying that if they notice a boil

or any sign of blood blockage, they should inform us, " the doctors

allegedly told the parents.

 

The newspaper reported a doctor as saying, " Jai suffered because his

parents did not inform us in time. "

 

Refuting the allegations, Ram Babu said that as soon as he saw a boil

peeping out of the plaster, he rushed his son to the hospital on Jan

21, but the doctors did not take proper care of him.

 

The poor tailor, who earns Rs.2,000 a month, has already spent more

than Rs.40,000 on his son's treatment. Despite lodging a complaint

against the concerned doctors, he said the police were yet to

initiate any action.