Six-Year-Old Suffers Cardiac Arrest During Procedure; Police Await Medical Board Report Before FIR
A tragic incident at Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital has sparked outrage after a six-year-old girl died during an eye-related medical procedure, prompting her family to stage a protest outside the hospital and demand a high-level investigation into the matter.
The incident occurred on Monday during a procedure connected to a previous cataract surgery. The child’s family, originally from Gondia district in Maharashtra, alleged medical negligence and sought strict action against those responsible.
Police Say FIR Will Depend on Medical Negligence Board Opinion
According to police officials, no FIR has been registered yet as the matter has first been referred to the Medical Negligence Board for expert evaluation.
Ulhas Kadam, Senior Police Inspector of Alankar Police Station, stated that the child died around 2 pm on May 18 while undergoing a cataract-related procedure.
Police confirmed that statements of doctors have been recorded and the family’s complaint has been officially accepted. All medical records and related documents will now be forwarded to the Medical Negligence Board at Sassoon General Hospital for examination.
Officials said further legal action, including registration of an FIR, will depend on the expert opinion submitted by the board.
Hospital Calls Incident “Extremely Unfortunate”
Reacting to the incident, Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital described the child’s death as “extremely unfortunate” and stated that an internal inquiry has already been initiated.
The hospital said it would cooperate fully with the police investigation and provide all necessary documents and information to authorities and the Sassoon General Hospital administration.
The management also reiterated its commitment to maintaining transparency and accountability in the matter.
Child Had Earlier Undergone Cataract Surgery
According to Dr Suryakant Devkar, Assistant Health Officer at the Pune Municipal Corporation, the girl had undergone cataract surgery when she was just one year old.
This time, she had reportedly been admitted for a retinal examination and follow-up procedure. During the treatment, she was administered general anesthesia.
Preliminary information suggests that the child suffered a cardiac arrest during extubation, which is the process of removing the breathing tube after anesthesia.
Post-Mortem Conducted at Sassoon Hospital
Officials confirmed that the post-mortem examination was conducted at Sassoon General Hospital on Tuesday morning.
The case has drawn significant public attention, with the grieving family demanding accountability and a detailed inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the child’s death.
Authorities stated that the next course of action will be decided after the medical board submits its findings.
