Alappuzha: The family of a baby born with severe abnormalities is gearing up for a protest. The child’s father, Aneesh, told Mathrubhumi that if the Health Minister and the DMO (District Medical Officer) fail to intervene, they will move forward with their protest. He alleged that the current measures are aimed at protecting doctors, and said that their only remaining option is to seek justice at the hospital’s doorstep.

"We had hoped for a decision, but the only action so far has been the sealing of two lab facilities. The scanning centres in the lab have been shut down, but that was due to the failure to maintain proper records. Even when the Health Minister visited Alappuzha, she did not make any effort to look into the matter. The doctors’ organisation is very powerful, and the Health Department seems to be protecting them," Aneesh alleged.

Aneesh also stated that this should be the last instance of such negligence from doctors. "Currently, the baby has issues with the brain and heart, and there has been no improvement in the child’s health condition," he added.

At the same time, Aneesh expressed satisfaction with the police investigation, crediting the Alappuzha District Police Chief’s intervention for the progress made so far. "They should understand the mental state of my family and me," he added.

Meanwhile, a report submitted to Health Minister Veena George by Dr V Meenakshi, the Additional Director of the Health Department, stated that the doctors were not at fault during treatment and that the baby’s deformities could not have been detected during the mother’s initial anomaly scans.

However, the report also pointed out lapses in properly communicating findings to the pregnant woman and her family. The doctors were advised to be more cautious in such matters. While minor anomalies may not always be detected in scans, issues like problems with the spine, limbs and similar abnormalities could have been identified. It was also noted that the parents were not informed about the possibility of fluid build-up or potential abnormalities.

The report recommended setting up of a medical board for the baby’s treatment. It highlighted that most patients rely on private scanning centres, which often fail to store patient data or allocate sufficient time for cases where abnormalities are suspected.

The family alleged that despite multiple scans during the pregnancy, the doctors failed to indicate any signs of abnormalities. The baby’s condition is severe, with multiple deformities. The face is not normal, the mouth does not open, the eyes are not positioned correctly, and while the genital organs are present, there are significant abnormalities. The arms and legs are bent, the ears are not in their proper position, and the tongue retracts when the baby is laid on its back. The baby suffers from numerous such conditions.