Maha: 7-year-old boy comatose for past 10 months, family alleges forced discharge from hospital

Mumbai: Tension ensued between the family of a seven-year-old boy who is currently in a state of coma after undergoing surgery, and the Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital (KDAH) after the family alleged that the hospital authorities are trying to forcefully discharge him. 

The boy, Ansel Chettiar, had undergone a minor surgery, orchiopexy, for undescended testicles ten months back on November 3, 2021, in the Andheri West hospital and hasn't regained consciousness yet. He had developed swelling in the brain and other complications after the surgery following which brain surgery was performed on him on November 8, 2021.  

Also Read:Is contralateral orchiopexy safe at the time of urgent scrotal exploration?

Holding the doctors responsible for the boy's condition, the family members are alleging that the hospital has allegedly shifted him to an ambulance parked in the basement and is trying to forcefully discharge him. Two months after the surgery, the child was shifted to Room number 9103, on the ninth floor of the hospital after being in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). The hospital is, however, refuting the allegations.

The child's father said, 'Since the brain surgery, our son has remained in a vegetative state. He has tubes to breathe and for feeding. We want to take him home but not in this state." 

A relative of the child said, "Ansel's parents live in a slum rehabilitation house without proper ventilation and other healthcare facilities. It is due to the hospital's gross negligence that he has been reduced to such a sorry state. Doctors who performed the surgery are responsible and guilty. His condition has deteriorated."

He added that they had not paid any additional amount for the past ten months after initially paying Rs 1 lakh during the admission period. The relative said that the hospital decided to discharge the child suddenly on Saturday a year after the surgery, as per a media report in the Free Press Journal. 

On Monday morning, the hospital authorities informed them about the discharge, adding that they would arrange an ambulance. Stating that the hospital had talked about discharging the child in the past, his aunt told the Hindustan Times, "The hospital had earlier assured Ansel's treatment till he is back to his no normal self. It kept our hopes alive. However, on October 15, we were informed about the hospital's plans to discharge Ansel as there was nothing left for the hospital to do." 

In June, the parents of the boy had gone to the Bombay Catholic Sabha for help following which the secretary of the organization had written to the hospital in August, requesting them to continue the child's treatment. Stating that the hospital is putting pressure on the family to take the child home. he said, "The Chettiars are a working-class family, living in an SRA house without proper ventilation and other basic amenities. The patient is in a serious condition due to the hospital's negligence. The hospital should discharge Ansel only when he recovers fully." 

Denying the allegations, the hospital said, "We have received numerous queries regarding a message circulating about a child admitted at our hospital. Our multidisciplinary team has been continuously caring for the child for the last 10 months, working tirelessly with utmost focus and determination." The hospital stated that the child's condition could not be improved despite their maximum efforts and every possible clinical attempt. 

The hospital who had prepared the discharge papers and arranged the ambulance, reportedly called Versova police station after the parents refused to discharge. The police then reached the hospital by 8.30 am and asked them to resolve the issue by Thursday. Manjunath Singe, deputy commissioner of police (zone 9) said, "The boy has not been discharged and in the next three days the hospital and family will take a decision."

Dr Santosh Shetty, CEO, of KDAH, said, "We have received numerous queries regarding a message circulating on social media about this issue. We refute the allegations. We have been caring for the child over the last 10 months. Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, his condition is not amenable to further improvement. We are counselling the family about the discharge of the patient." 

Also Read:Maharashtra: Doctor booked for wrong sonography report after pregnant woman's death