Bengaluru toddler slips into coma after ear injury treatment

His parents have accused the hospital of medical negligence, alleging that an overdose of anaesthesia left the child in a critical condition.

Bengaluru: A 14-month-old boy has reportedly been in a coma for the past three months after being taken to Cloudnine Hospital in Nagarbhavi, Bengaluru, for treatment of a minor ear injury. His parents have accused the hospital of medical negligence, alleging that an overdose of anaesthesia left the child in a critical condition.

The child, identified as Shayan, had sustained an injury to his left ear after it struck the edge of a wardrobe while he was playing at home. As the wound was bleeding, his parents rushed him to the hospital, believing that he would receive appropriate treatment. They said they expected doctors to stitch the wound within half an hour.

However, Shayan allegedly slipped into a coma following the administration of anaesthesia. His parents claimed that the procedure was carried out without the presence of an appropriately qualified specialist.

The family has been staying at the hospital for nearly three months, hoping for the child’s recovery. They have staged a protest outside the hospital, demanding justice and better treatment for their son.

“We brought our child to the hospital because he had suffered an injury to his left ear and was bleeding. We were told that the hospital had good paediatric specialists. We never imagined that a child who came here playing would end up in a coma. We want our child back in the condition in which we brought him,” the parents said.

Inspection reveals lapses at hospital

Following complaints from the family to the Karnataka Medical Council (KMC) and the District Health Officer (DHO), a medical team led by Dr Raghunath of CV Raman General Hospital inspected the facility. The team reportedly noticed prima facie lapses during its preliminary assessment. The DHO subsequently submitted a report to the Deputy Commissioner and directed the hospital to provide free treatment to the child.

The parents have also raised questions about Dr Charan, who allegedly administered the anaesthesia. They claimed that the doctor was unavailable and that the hospital was not providing information about his whereabouts. Hospital cluster representative Srinath, however, reportedly maintained that Dr Charan was not an employee of the hospital.

The family has further alleged that hospital authorities are not providing adequate information about Shayan’s health condition and are subjecting them to harassment. They claimed that they were being denied access to basic facilities, including drinking water, and were not even being allowed to use the washroom freely.