Family Alleges Medical Negligence, Misbehavior by OT Staff; Hospital Downplays Incident
Anantnag | February 15:In a shocking case of alleged medical negligence, doctors at Government Medical College (GMC) Anantnag mistakenly operated on the tongue of a minor girl instead of removing a cyst from her lower lip. The family, devastated by the blunder, is now demanding strict action against those responsible.
Hailing from Khargund, Chowgam in Qazigund, the girl’s family had brought her to GMC Anantnag for what they were assured would be a routine procedure to remove the cyst. However, their world turned upside down when they discovered that surgeons had instead cut the child’s tongue tie.
“We were told it was a simple surgery for the cyst, but when she came out of the operation theatre, we were horrified to see that her tongue had been operated on,” said the girl’s mother, her voice shaking with anger and disbelief.
Hospital Denies Negligence, Family Cries Foul
Sources inside the hospital condemned the incident, calling it "sheer negligence" and questioning how such a critical mistake could occur. The family also alleged that when they sought answers, the operating theatre (OT) staff misbehaved with them instead of showing empathy.
Expressing her outrage, the mother said, “Not only did they operate on the wrong part, but when we questioned them, the staff behaved rudely. They showed no remorse. We demand strict action against those responsible.”
Doctors’ Response: "It Was Necessary"
Dr. Amir Yousuf, Head of the ENT Department at GMC Anantnag, downplayed the incident, stating that the child already had a tongue tie that needed correction.
“It is not a serious issue. The patient had both a tongue tie and a lower lip cyst, and addressing both was in her best medical interest,” he said.
Dr. Amir admitted that the OPD ticket mentioned only the cyst removal but defended the decision, saying, “Unfortunately, the OPD ticket did not list the tongue tie issue, but medically, both needed to be treated for the child’s well-being.”
However, the family insisted that previous medical consultations had only advised the cyst removal. “No one mentioned anything about her tongue,” the girl’s mother reiterated.
Inquiry Ordered Amid Public Outrage
In response to allegations of misbehavior by OT staff, Dr. Amir stated that an inquiry committee has been formed.
“If any staff member is found guilty of mistreating attendants, strict action will follow. We are committed to a patient-friendly environment,” he assured, urging the public to cooperate with the medical staff.
Despite these assurances, the incident has sparked outrage, with many questioning the hospital's accountability and calling for a transparent investigation into the mishap.
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