Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Feb 16: Calling the unfounded accusations of malpractice “discouraging” for doctors, the Government Medical College (GMC) Anantnag today said that “fake” images were being circulated in connection with a minor whose family has alleged “medical negligence.”
A GMC spokesperson stated that, in an attempt to “malign the image” of the medical college, “consciously fabricated images” were being circulated.
“These images are being widely shared on social media by certain media outlets and individuals, related to the surgery of a 5-year-old child in the ENT Department,” the spokesperson said.
The hospital clarified that the “images of a tongue with cuts” on the upper surface were being circulated to suggest evidence of a tongue-tie procedure, which actually involves the lower surface of the tongue.
The incident has already been explained by the Head of the ENT Department at GMC Anantnag, the hospital said. Quoting the Head of the Department, Dr Amir Yousuf, the GMC spokesperson stated that a five-year-old girl, scheduled for surgery on February 15 for the removal of a lower lip cyst, was operated on Saturday by a senior resident of the ENT Department under local anesthesia.
“During the procedure, it was found that the patient had a significant tongue-tie, which could have been a possible cause of the lip cyst. The surgeon successfully operated on it. However, when the surgeon began the process of cyst removal, the procedure could not be completed because the child started crying,” the spokesperson said. The doctor explained that such interruptions are sometimes an issue in minor surgeries performed under local anesthesia on young children.
“The girl was further assessed and is absolutely fine. The images circulating in the media are fake and do not represent the facts. The child’s tongue is completely normal after the surgery,” the spokesperson added.
The spokesperson further stated that the parents were given a detailed account of the procedure and assured of their child’s well-being.
Doctors at GMC Anantnag emphasized that they strive to give their best, “but such misreporting could demotivate healthcare workers.”
“It is feared that in the future, senior residents and other staff may be reluctant to join GMC Anantnag, which would be a major setback for the institution and its overall functioning,” the hospital authorities said.
Earlier, on Saturday, the parents of the minor alleged that the operation theater staff “removed a tongue tie instead of a lower lip cyst.”
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