Baby born with disabilities: Doctor claims no error in treatment, father demands justice

Alappuzha: Gynecologist Dr. Shirley, who treated Surumi, the mother of the baby born with multiple disabilities, has responded to the allegations. She stated that all necessary medical procedures were carried out during the pregnancy and that no abnormalities were detected until the 32nd week.

"I had been treating her since the eighth week of pregnancy. All required blood tests and scans were conducted, and none of them indicated any abnormalities. When the amniotic fluid levels increased, we took immediate action. Although nothing was detected in the scans, I had clinical doubts. As the fluid levels kept rising, I admitted her to the hospital. When the baby's heart rate dropped, we referred her to the medical college, as a C-section could not be performed here," Dr. Shirley told Mathrubhumi.

She added that the hospital does not have a radiologist and relies on an external private scanning center. “Even external tests could not detect the baby’s disabilities. Such conditions can only be identified through scans, and no issues were reported. The only abnormality observed was the increase in fluid levels in the 32nd week. Everything was normal until then. As a gynecologist, I did everything required,” she clarified.

A case has been registered against Dr. Shirley and Dr. Pushpa from the Alappuzha Kadappuram Hospital, along with two private doctors from the scanning center.

Meanwhile, the baby’s father, a taxi driver, expressed concern over the high treatment costs. “Further treatment has been recommended at Aster or Amrita hospitals. As a common man, I don’t know how I can afford it,” he said.

"The negligence lies with the health department. WMC Hospital, Midas Scanning Center, and Shankar's Lab should ensure justice. These institutions are responsible for the current condition of my baby. They had a duty to inform us of any issues during pregnancy and let us decide whether to proceed or not. If we had known about the baby’s health condition, we would never have continued the pregnancy. Only my wife and I know the pain of seeing our child born with so many disabilities. Isn't it the responsibility of the health department to prevent such cases? In a country with such advanced technology, how could there be such negligence? The doctors even told us on the C-section table that the baby might not survive for more than two days and asked if we wanted to proceed with the delivery. I told them to stop the procedure,” he added.

The investigation is now being led by a special team under the supervision of the Alappuzha Deputy Superintendent of Police (DYSP). The health department has also sought a report on the incident.

Complaints have been filed against the Alappuzha Kadappuram Hospital and the doctors with the Chief Minister and other authorities. The complaint alleges that despite multiple scans during the pregnancy, the doctors failed to detect or inform the parents about the baby’s abnormalities.

The baby has multiple deformities, including a distorted face, inability to open the mouth, misaligned eyes, malformed ears, and abnormal limbs. The baby’s tongue retracts when laid flat, and there are numerous other physical disabilities.