Wrong Surgery on Boy’s Private Part Instead of Injured Leg; Investigation Underway

Following the complaint of surgery mix-up, health officials and police have launched a probe into the incident at a government hospital in Shahapur, Maharashtra.

June 29, 2024

Parents of a nine-year-old boy from Shahapur, Maharashtra, have filed a complaint alleging that doctors at a government hospital performed circumcision on their son’s private part instead of treating his injured leg. The incident, which occurred at the local sub-district hospital, has prompted an investigation by health officials and police.

The boy, who lives with his family in Saravali village, sustained a leg injury while playing with friends last month. After developing an infection near the cut, he required regular hospital visits. On June 15, the family admitted him for surgery. According to the boy’s mother, a doctor named Swapnil conducted the operation.

“When the doctor brought my son out of the operation theatre, my son told me that the doctor operated on his private part instead of his leg,” the boy’s mother recounted. Upon questioning, the doctor hurriedly took the child back for the leg surgery. The family insisted on a written assurance from the hospital that their son would be fine before agreeing to take him home.

The doctors defended their actions, claiming that the boy had phimosis, a condition involving a tight foreskin, which necessitated the circumcision along with the leg surgery. However, the parents stated that they were not informed about the additional procedure.

Health officer Gajendra Pawar explained, “Apart from the injury in the leg, the child also had a problem of phimosis which is why we operated on his penis.” He added that sometimes different relatives of the patient stay in the hospital and may not understand the medical procedures. “But since the family has complained, the civil surgeon’s team will investigate the same,” he assured.

Activists in Shahapur have raised concerns over the alleged operation mix-up, demanding action against the responsible doctor. The civil surgeon of Thane Civil Hospital has initiated an inquiry to ascertain the details and address the family’s allegations.

As the investigation proceeds, both health officials and police aim to clarify the circumstances surrounding the controversial surgeries and ensure accountability.