An 18-month-old boy who had remained in critical condition for five days after being given anaesthesia to stitch a cut lip died at a private hospital in Kannur on Friday, July 10.
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Devansh Shouria, who died at Baby Memorial Hospital in Kannur, was the only child of T Suraj and Vijisha of Mathamangalam in Eramam-Kuttoor grama panchayat. He was born after eight years of their marriage.
Devansh sustained a cut on his lip after falling while playing in the courtyard of his house on July 5. His parents took him to Baby Memorial Hospital in Payyannur, where doctors administered anaesthesia to stitch the wound. Soon after, his condition turned critical, and he never regained consciousness. The hospital later shifted him to its Kannur unit for advanced treatment, where he died at around 9 pm on Friday.
Earlier in the day, Payyannur police registered a case against Dr Anjali Poduval, the anaesthetist at Baby Memorial Hospital, Payyannur, based on a complaint filed by the child’s relative, K Rajeevan of Kuthirummal House in Eramam.
The doctor was booked 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.
Baby Memorial Hospital has denied the allegations of medical negligence. In an earlier 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.
The hospital maintained that complications could occur following anaesthesia despite appropriate dosage and medical care, said all accepted treatment protocols had been followed, and added that every possible effort had been made to save the child’s life.
Meanwhile, workers of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) staged a protest march to Baby Memorial Hospital in Payyannur, demanding action in connection with the toddler’s death.
