In a shocking incident at Kota Medical College in Kota in Rajasthan, a paralysed father was mistakenly operated on while waiting outside the operation theatre for his son, Manish, who was scheduled for surgery. Manish had been injured in an accident and called his father to the hospital. He asked his father to wait outside the operating theatre while he underwent his procedure. However, in a confusing mix-up, doctors at Kota Medical College mistakenly operated on the father. The father, who was meant to be a bystander and a moral support to his son, ended up with 5–6 stitches. The mix-up has raised serious concerns about the hospital’s patient identification protocols and raises questions about medical safety, supervision, and accountability in such government-run hospitals.
Manish explained the situation to a reporter saying, "I met with an accident and got hurt. I called my father. My father is paralysed, and there is no one to look after him. I was to be operated on Saturday, so I asked my father to sit and wait outside the operating theatre. I was in the operating theatre. I don’t know what happened, but there are 5-6 stitches on him. I don’t remember the name of the doctor who operated on me. I am also lying around in this condition. What can I do?"
In response to the mishap at Kota hospital, Dr. Sangeeta Saxena, the Principal of Kota Medical College, addressed the issue. She confirmed that an inquiry and an investigation will be conducted into the incident. Dr. Sangeeta Saxena explained the following: “I have asked the superintendent to form a committee and submit a report within 2–3 days. A three-member committee has been formed, and they will inquire and inform what happened.”
