A doctor in Kerala's Malappuram district performed a hernia surgery on a seven-year-old boy instead of removing a growth in his nasal passage after an apparent a mix-up of the names of two patients.



The boy was operated for hernia on May 21 at a medical college in Manjeri town, 175 km north of Kochi, sources said. The incident came to light when Danish's parents, who are from Karuvarakundu town in the district, saw their son operated in the stomach, instead of removing his nasal polyps.

Hospital sources told PTI that there was another patient who was supposed to undergo surgery for hernia, and the mistake occurred due to the similarity in their names. State Health Minister K K Shylaja ordered a probe and suspended the doctor, A Suresh Kumar. "Patients must not suffer due to the negligence of the hospital staff," the minister said, adding that the boy would be given free treatment.

The state human rights commission has registered a case in connection with the incident. "There is serious negligence on behalf of the staff including the doctor," rights panel member K Mohan Kumar said in his interim order. Kumar asked the medical college superintendent to submit a report with the statements of all the staff present inside the operation theatre.