I am in Kerala for three days. We have had to cope with a very tragic incident, an 18-month-old child died when anaesthesia was applied for minor facial injuries at a private hospital. Baby Memorial Hospital in Kannur is an open wound.
Devansh Shaurya, who was taken to the hospital after suffering two small scratches on his face, has been identified as the deceased child. The injuries were not life-threatening and were seen as only minor and not serious, as the family alleged. But doctors decided to administer anaesthesia before stitching the wounds.
Devansh’s family has said that he deteriorated after the anaesthesia, and despite the effort to revive him, he could not be revived. His death has devastated the family and led to accusations that the hospital did not use proper medical judgment in handling the toddler.
The family filed a formal complaint against Baby Memorial Hospital after the incident, demanding an investigation into the manner of the child's death. They have pressed the hospital and medical staff who were at the scene for care.
Kannur also has public outrage. Members of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) protested outside the hospital, demanding an unbiased investigation into the incident. It also laid out the need for strict action if medical negligence is found during the investigation.
Medical negligence cases in young children can attract a lot of attention because of the importance of following safe protocols while performing anaesthesia. Acute anaesthesia, especially in infants and toddlers, requires a thorough pre-procedure assessment, routine monitoring during the procedure, and paediatric care. But it will be known if these procedures were followed in this case only after the investigation is complete.
The medical records, treatment processes, and comments from the doctors and hospital staff will be examined as part of the inquiry. Based on those findings, further legal or administrative action may be taken.
Baby Memorial Hospital has not publicly spoken out on the allegations. But officials are likely to cooperate with investigators over time.
The tragic death of Devansh Shaurya has once again brought up the point of patient safety and accountability in healthcare facilities. How the investigation will be achieved will be in the eyes of the family as well as the public, who are anxious to understand how the little boy died and what caused it to happen.
We note that the allegations against the hospital are still under investigation, and responsibility has not yet been legally established.
