Doctors forget gauze in patient’s abdomen, recover it a year later

SRINAGAR: Doctors at a sub-district hospital in Kashmir forgot gauze in the abdomen of a female patient causing life-threatening infection to her.

41-year-old Hajra Begum of Ganai Mohalla was admitted to sub-district hospital Sogam in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district in June last year after she complained of labour pain.

At the hospital, the female patient, family sources said was examined by a doctor on duty.

On June 20, Hajra gave birth to a baby boy after the doctors at the hospital performed a major surgery upon her.

“Over a month later, my wife developed complications. I took her to the same hospital where the same doctor prescribed her some medicines and assured her that she will recover shortly” said Hajra’s husband, Ghulam Mohammad Ganaie.

“However, my wife’s condition deteriorated. On January, 1, 2013 my wife developed unbearable pain in abdomen. I took her to the hospital again and the doctor there prescribed USG test,” he added.

According to Gannaie after the USG test showed the presence of ‘floating body’ in her abdomen, the doctor advised Hajra to go for some more tests including HB, KFT, LFT and CT Scan.

“After examining the reports, the doctor at the SDH Sogam said that there was nothing abnormal in them.

He prescribed some injections saying it will cure the patient very soon. However, instead of bringing some relief, the injection caused more pain and irritation to my wife,” Ganaie said.

Dissatisfied with treatment at the SDH Sogam, Gannaie took his wife to district hospital Kupwara where she was examined by Dr Maqbool and Dr Afzal.

The doctors asked Ganaie to take the patient to the Srinagar hospital saying that “her condition was serious.”

On November 26 this year, Hajira was admitted to SMHS hospital.

After a weeklong examination, the doctors operated upon Hajra and recovered foreign body during the surgery.

The samples were then sent to the department of pathology, Government Medical College (GMC) Srinagar for investigations.

In its report, a copy of which is shown here, the pathology department said that “the samples contained infection collection of around 3.700 kg besides a gauze measuring 10×2 cm.”

The report has come as a shocker to Ganaie, who wonders “why it took doctors over a year to detect their mistake.”

“We have spent over Rs 2 lakh on the treatment post-pregnancy operation. I had to sell my wife’s jewellery to meet the medical expenses, including tests at the private laboratories. Besides, I had to undergo mental trauma because of the negligence of the doctors at SDH Sogam,” Ganaie said, while demanding the strict action against the negligent doctors.

“If the higher authorities fail to take note of such ‘malpractices’, the lives of people will always remain unsafe,” he said.

When contacted, Director Health Services (Kashmir), Dr Saleem-ur-Rehman said that he’ll take “stern action against the doctors if found guilty.” (GNS)

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