11-yr-old Chennai boy loses leg after ‘wrong’ treatment, hospital’s license suspended

CHENNAI: An 11-year-old boy lost his leg due to an alleged case of medical negligence at a private hospital in Adambakkam, following which the Tamil Nadu Health Department suspended its license.

The boy who suffered from nerve problems was admitted to the hospital, where alleged wrong treatment led to a situation where the doctors had to amputate his left leg to save his life.

The boy’s parents said after the treatment started, his leg turned black (indicating a lack of blood flow). Soon afterward, the doctor said his leg needed to be amputated or else his life would be in danger. The leg was amputated after obtaining consent from them.

The parents later filed a complaint alleging that the doctor provided wrong treatment which led to the amputation of their son's leg, and added that they were not provided adequate compensation.

Speaking to reporters, Tamil Nadu Health Minister Ma Subramanian said the Director of Rural Health and Medical Services has initiated an inquiry into the incident and assured strict action.

During the inquiry, the officials identified several technical faults at the hospital, including that even the air-conditioner was not available at the hospital. “The hospital authorities have been interrogated and appropriate action will be taken. The hospital's license has been suspended," said the health minister.

The case is eerily similar to that of R Priya, a 17-year-old footballer from Chennai who sought treatment for a ligament tear but ended up losing a leg and then her life after her condition worsened, in 2022.