The Madras High Court Bench here on Thursday directed the Dean of Government Rajaji Hospital here to constitute a team of specialists to treat an eight-year-old girl suffering from hepatic encephalopathy, resulting in a decline in brain function, due to alleged negligence in administering general anaesthesia for tonsillectomy at a government hospital in Aruppukottai in Virudhunagar district on April 16.
Justice R. Mahadevan gave the direction on a writ petition filed by the girl’s mother I. Tamil Selvi seeking a direction to the Health Secretary to shift her daughter to any other private speciality hospital at State expense and bear the entire medical expenditure until she recovers completely. The order was passed after the Dean, M.R. Vairamuthu Raju, assured the court of providing the best possible treatment to the girl.
The petitioner’s counsel, R. Karunanidhi, said that the girl was taken into the operation theatre at the Aruppukottai hospital for tonsil surgery around 10 a.m. on April 16 and her family did not get to hear anything from the doctors until afternoon when the anaesthetist informed the petitioner of her daughter having fallen unconscious and suggested shifting of the patient immediately to the GRH.
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In her affidavit, the petitioner stated: “I was told by doctors at the GRH that the drugs given by the Aruppukottai hospital doctors prior to the surgery led to encephalopathy. I was advised to state that the anaesthetist did not provide the test injection before giving general anaesthesia… I state that my daughter was active prior to the admission to the Aruppukottai hospital for surgery… The doctors there had acted in a negligent manner and provided general anaesthesia without care in a wrongful manner. Due to their negligence and carelessness, my daughter fell into coma and till date she is unable to return to normal condition.”