4-year-old boy dies during treatment at Tirunelveli Govt Hospital, family alleges negligence

Madurai: In yet another controversy, an intern and Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital (TvMCH) have been accused of medical negligence by the family of a four-year-old boy, who died during treatment for a lump on his neck. While the family alleged that the boy died due to improper administration of a contrast dye before a CT scan, the hospital authorities have refuted these allegations, stating that the child died from an anaphylactic shock and cardiac arrest.

The family claimed that the boy collapsed momentarily after receiving the injection and accused the hospital, including the intern, of improper treatment and gross negligence. They claimed that even though their child died in the morning on Wednesday, the hospital delayed informing them. As a result, they got to know about his death at night, TNIE reports.

Seeking justice and an FIR against those responsible, the relatives of the deceased patient staged a sit-in protest for more than 12 hours in front of the Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital dean's office. Soon after, they called off their protest after Sankarankovil MLA E Raja assured them that action would be taken against the staff if found guilty.

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The case

According to the boy’s family, an intern, a B.Sc graduate in Radiology Imaging Technician administered contrast dye before performing the CT scan for the boy's lump while the doctor was away. Contrast material is a dye that can be used in some CT scans to help make certain areas of the body easier to see. It can be given by mouth, injected into a vein, or put into the rectum.

The boy, a native of Tenkasi, was undergoing treatment for a lump on his neck at TvMCH.  Initially admitted to a private hospital in Sankarankovil, he was later referred to the government medical college on February 10 for the treatment of generalised lymphadenopathy. Doctors suspected Hodgkin lymphoma, and a biopsy was in progress when he was advised to undergo a CT scan on February 12.

Explaining the incident in detail, the boy's father told TNIE, "We initially took Ponmaran to a private hospital in Sankarankovil to treat a lump (neri katti) on his neck. After being referred, we brought him to TVMCH on February 10. He was active and playing well until he was taken for a CT scan on February 12."

The boy's uncle, who was present in the scan room around 9 am, said, "When the intern inserted the syringe to administer the contrast, Ponmaran screamed. Despite this, the intern forcibly injected the contrast, using both hands to apply pressure on the syringe. Soon after, Ponmaran fell unconscious. The intern panicked and left the room without removing the syringe, which fell to the ground. With no doctors present, I rushed Ponmaran to the emergency ward."

Another relative claimed that if there were doctors present to guide the intern and treat the child immediately, then his life could have been saved. "My brother Mahendran lost his wife just a year ago. Now, he has lost his son too. He deserves compensation for his loss. The hospital administration is trying to silence us using the police," said the boy's aunt.

Hospital response

Vehemently denying the accusations, TvMCH Dean Dr C Revathy Balan said "Ponmaran was admitted for treatment of generalised lymphadenopathy. The process for evaluation and biopsy was underway to determine if he had Hodgkin lymphoma. He underwent a CT scan on Wednesday morning. During imaging, he developed sudden rigorous movement, prompting staff to stop the procedure and shift him to the emergency unit. He was in shock when he arrived, after which he was intubated, stabilized and moved to the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit on ventilator and inotropic (adrenaline) support. Opinions from an anaesthetist, cardiologist and neurologist were obtained, and intensive treatment was provided," she said.

"Despite all efforts, the child suffered a cardiac arrest and died at 9.10 pm. The possible causes of death include generalised lymphadenopathy, lymphoma, anaphylactic shock, and cardiorespiratory arrest. A police inquiry and an internal hospital investigation have been initiated," she added. 

Similarly, Health Minister Ma Subramanian also refuted these claims, stating that a radiodiagnosis imaging technology intern, employed by TN MNSC, administered 14 ml of contrast under a doctor’s supervision from the console room, TOI reports. 

Meanwhile, former health minister Dr C Vijayabaskar took to 'X' and shared a post saying "The incident highlighted serious lapses in Tamil Nadu's healthcare system, including medical negligence and delayed communication. I strongly urge the Tamil Nadu Health Ministry to conduct a thorough investigation and implement systemic reforms to prevent such tragedies in the future."

Later, when the relatives staged a dharna in front of the hospital. Sankarankovil MLA E Raja negotiated with them and promised assistance to the boy's family and govt job for family members. Based on his assurance, the family collected the boy's body on Thursday.

"Based on the postmortem report, action will be initiated against the health staff, if found guilty. Mahendran's two girl children will be given monthly assistance of Rs 4,000 through the school education department. Ponmaran's uncle and aunt will be given a temporary job in TvMCH, with a monthly salary of Rs 10,000. Apart from this, the Tenkasi DMK unit will give `two lakh compensation to each of Mahendran’s two daughters," Raja told TNIE. 

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