Kochi, Feb 21 (NationPress) Usha Josephkutty (51), a resident of Punnapra in Alappuzha district, has undergone successful surgery to remove a surgical instrument that had been left inside her abdomen for five years due to alleged negligence during a procedure at Government Medical College Hospital, Vandanam.

The operation took place on Saturday at a private hospital in Kochi, where doctors extracted a long, curved artery forceps that was reportedly forgotten during a hysterectomy performed in May 2021.

In light of a criminal case linked to the incident, the surgery was executed under stringent supervision and oversight.

Two doctors affiliated with Government Medical College Hospital, Kalamassery, were present during the operation as part of the monitoring process.

The surgical instrument extracted from her abdomen has been handed over to the Ambalappuzha Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP) as material evidence to be subjected to forensic analysis as part of the ongoing investigation.

Since the hysterectomy in 2021, Usha had been experiencing chronic abdominal pain and blood in her urine. Despite seeking care at multiple hospitals over the years, the root cause remained unidentified.

It was only after a urology specialist in Alappuzha recommended an X-ray examination last week that the presence of the forceps was discovered, spotlighting the alleged surgical error.

Relatives of Usha have claimed that some doctors attempted to discourage them from publicizing the issue after the instrument was found.

The Kerala Health Department has acknowledged a lapse in this case, attributing it to the extraordinary pressures on the healthcare system during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Following the incident, the Director of Medical Education has suspended Associate Professor Dr. J. Shahida, who led the surgical team during the hysterectomy, along with nurse P.S. Dhanya, pending further investigation.

Records from the hospital indicate that a nine-member medical team was involved in the initial procedure, with standard protocol requiring surgical instruments to be counted both before and after the operation. However, a significant lapse is now suspected in the instrument accounting process.

Since Friday, when the news emerged, a sharp political confrontation has developed between Health Minister Veena George and Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan, along with other Congress leaders, regarding the alleged negligence.

While the Health Minister defended the department’s response and actions taken so far, the Opposition accused the government of gross negligence and failure to ensure accountability in government-run medical institutions.

Congress activists have staged protests at various locations, chanting slogans against the Health Minister and the government, further intensifying the political tensions surrounding the incident.

As protests escalate and calls for accountability grow louder, this incident has become a significant controversy for the state government, especially as Kerala approaches a crucial electoral phase.