Kerala Child Rights Panel registers case over needle allegedly left inside newborn
Kottayam: Taking cognisance of allegations that a needle was allegedly left inside the body of a newborn girl during treatment at Kottayam Medical College Hospital (MCH) in 2025, the Kerala Child Rights Commission has registered a case in the matter.
The hospital has also constituted a three-member committee to investigate the family's allegations after the needle was reportedly detected nearly a year after the child's birth.
The Commission's Acting Chairperson registered the case on Saturday and decided to seek reports from the Kottayam District Police Superintendent and the hospital superintendent regarding the incident.
Meanwhile, the hospital has formed an internal inquiry panel headed by the Medical College Deputy Superintendent, with the heads of the Departments of Gynaecology and General Surgery as members. The panel will examine the circumstances in which the needle was allegedly left inside the child and review the claims raised by her family.
Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that, in a shocking incident, a needle was found lodged inside the body of a one-year-old girl, with her parents alleging on Friday that it may have been left behind during treatment at Kottayam Medical College Hospital, following which a medical negligence complaint was filed against the hospital.
The child was born at Kottayam Medical College Hospital on June 24, 2025. She was admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) the following day after developing fever and symptoms of jaundice. The family has alleged that the needle remained inside the child's body during the treatment she received at the hospital.
According to PTI, after the child was discharged from the NICU, the parents noticed a swelling near her right ribs and showed it to doctors, the mother said. “However, doctors told us that it was a minor growth that would subside with treatment. The child continued to experience pain and frequently cried, but doctors told us that such discomforts were common among infants,” she said.
She said that in July 2026, the child developed severe pain near her right ribcage and a swelling appeared again. The child was taken to Kozhikode Medical College Hospital, where scans revealed a needle lodged near the ribs.
The Child Rights Commission's decision to seek reports from the police and hospital, along with the medical college's internal inquiry, is expected to establish the circumstances surrounding the alleged incident.
