Health Minister forms panel after infant suffers brain damage at private hospital

Karnataka Health Minister U.T. Khader has constituted a new expert committee to review an incident in which an infant suffered severe brain damage during ear surgery at Cloudnine Hospital in Nagarbhavi, Bengaluru. The committee comprises doctors from the State Health Department, Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health (IGICH), and NIMHANS.

The committee will examine the infant's condition and recommend further treatment to enhance the possibilities of recovery. Additionally, the Health Minister has instructed the hospital to seek assistance from experts and specialist doctors from outside Karnataka if necessary.

This decision was taken following a meeting on Thursday, November 5, between the infant's family and Health Minister U.T. Khader. During the meeting, the family demanded justice and insisted that the hospital should take responsibility for the child's complete treatment.

In a statement given to The Hindu, U.T. Khader stated that the government wants the infant to recover and return home, but the current priority is to ensure that the child receives the best medical care. He added, "We have told the hospital to engage experts to provide the best treatment to the child. I have also formed another committee that will investigate this case and recommend what is best to be done and what interventions are necessary to make the child healthy."

According to the details of the incident, the 14-month-old son of Sampath Kumar K.P. from Kattdoddi village in Mandya district was taken to Cloudnine Hospital on July 26 for emergency surgical repairing of a full-thickness ear laceration. During the procedure in the operation theatre, the child suffered a cardiac arrest, which led to severe brain injury due to oxygen deprivation.

An expert panel previously formed by the Health Department, which included an anaesthesiologist and a paediatrician from the state-run Sir C.V. Raman General Hospital, found serious lapses in the administration of anaesthesia. The panel's report noted that while necessary equipment was available in the operation theatre, the anaesthesiologist present was not sufficiently trained to administer anaesthesia to young children.

The investigation revealed that hypoxia, bradycardia, and cardiac arrest occurred when an attempt was made to intubate the infant. According to hospital records, the cardiac arrest was resolved within seven minutes, but the panel stated that brain hypoxia continued for 15 to 20 minutes, causing permanent and severe brain damage. An MRI scan conducted three days later confirmed partial prolonged hypoxic-ischemic brain injury.

On October 8, the Bengaluru Urban District Health Officer and the Karnataka Private Medical Establishments (KPME) Grievance Redressal Authority reviewed the expert panel's findings and the parents' submissions. As the findings prima facie indicated medical negligence, the District Health Officer forwarded the case records to the President of the Karnataka Medical Council (KMC) on October 12 for investigation and disciplinary action.

Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H.D. Kumaraswamy has also criticised the hospital management in this matter. He stated that the apathy of the hospital management is unacceptable. He demanded that Cloudnine Hospital provide free treatment or the state government should bear the expenses. He warned, "Resolve this issue immediately, otherwise I will have to come to the hospital myself." He urged the Health Department to keep a watch on private hospitals and take strict action in cases of medical negligence.