Kerala’s public health system is taking steps to rebuild trust following incidents where surgical tools were left inside women patients’ abdomens during procedures, leading to subsequent removal. These incidents raised concerns and spurred the Health Department into swift action. New guidelines have been introduced to prevent surgical mistakes and enhance accountability in hospitals.
The guidelines include requirements for patients to wear wristbands with surgical information and clear marking of the body part to be operated on. Mobile phone use in operation theatres is now prohibited to ensure focus and adherence to sterile procedures. Additionally, the rules apply universally to all surgeries, emphasizing a detailed pre-operative verification process.
Doctors and nurses must ensure completion of patient records and a pre-operative checklist, signed by the ward doctor and nurse in charge. Instrument accountability is stressed, with hospitals mandated to conduct thorough counts before and after procedures. The framework aims to establish clear responsibility and prevent oversights or blame shifting.
In a case of medical negligence, a surgical scissor was found inside a woman’s abdomen nearly five years after her hysterectomy. Another incident involved a pair of forceps left inside a woman’s abdomen during a Caesarean section. Both cases highlight the importance of stringent surgical protocols and accountability in healthcare settings.
