Cancer free patient allegedly given Chemotherapy based on Wrong Diagnosis; Govt orders inquiry

KOTTAYAM: The Kerala government has ordered an inquiry into the allegations that the middle-aged female patient, who was allegedly subjected to chemotherapy treatment at the Kottayam Medical College despite not having cancer.

The Kerala State Human Rights Commission has also registered a case for suspected medical negligence.

According to recent media accounts, the first dose of chemotherapy at the Kottayam Medical College hospital was allegedly given for a tumour treatment on the basis of a report from a private lab where the patient's sample was tested.

According to the patient, she had undergone treatment at the General surgery department of the hospital for a lump on her breast. Her samples were taken and sent for testing.

Chemotherapy allegedly started immediately after the doctors at the Oncology department received the report, which allegedly mentioned she had been diagnosed with cancer. However, a report from the hospital's lab came two weeks later which said it was not cancerous.

After the first dose was administered, the patient had lost all her hair, reports IANS.

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Chemotherapy was immediately stopped and the Oncology department referred her back to the General Surgery department where the lump on her breast was removed performing a surgery.

The samples were again tested at the hospital lab as well as a lab at the Thiruvananthapuram Regional Cancer Centre (RCC). The reports from both the labs confirmed that it was not cancerous.

Subsequently, the patient complained to the Health Minister about the incident and the health issues including serious side-effects she has been facing allegedly after the wrong treatment at the hospital.

The minister has ordered the principal of the Government Medical College to start a probe over the case and submit a report, adds PTI.

Meanwhile, Justice (retired) Antony Dominic has directed the Director of Medical Education to file a detailed report on the episode in three weeks time and asked the Superintendent of the Kottayam Medical College, to file an urgent report.

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