Scissors in stomach: Court summons four accused health workers

Kozhikode: Four accused health workers, including two doctors, have been summoned by Kunnamangalam Judicial First Class Magistrate Court in connection with the medical negligence case filed by Adivaram native K K Harshina.

They have asked to appear before the court on April 19, 2024. The court sent the summons after the Medical College Police filed the charge-sheet on December 29, 2023. 

They are accused of medical negligence in the instance where a pair of scissors was left behind inside the stomach of Harshina during a Caesarean section at the Kozhikode Government Medical College hospital.

The 750- page charge-sheet named four accused - Dr C K Rameshan (42), assistant professor at the gynaecology department of Manjeri Government Medical College; Dr M Shahana (32), a gynaecologist at a private hospital in Kottayam; M Rehana (33), and K G Manju, both staff nurses at Kozhikode Medical College Hospital. They are booked under provisions of the Medical Negligence Act.

Both doctors were working at the Kozhikode MCH when the alleged incident happened on November 30, 2017.

The health principal secretary had granted police permission to prosecute the accused on December 23, 2023.

According to the charges, the accused may receive a maximum of two years in jail, the investigating police officer ACP K Sudarsan had told the media after submitting the charge-sheet in the court.

According to police, a pair of artery forceps were stuck in Harshina's stomach during her third delivery-related surgery at the Kozhikode MCH.

Earlier in March, the government had granted Rs 2 lakh to Harshina from the Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund. However, she said the compensation was insufficient as she had spent a large amount for treatment necessitated by medical negligence.