THRISSUR: A one-and-a-half-year-old infant suffering from a rare medical condition died at the Government Medical College Hospital (GMCH) in Thrissur after undergoing treatment of self-professed naturopath Mohanan Vaidyar.
Dr Vipin Kalathil, who was in charge when the child was brought to GMCH, said Vaidyar’s treatment aggravated the child’s condition resulting in his death on August 19. As per medical records, the child of a couple hailing from Kunnamkulam was diagnosed with Propionic Acidemia at Amritha Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre in Ernakulam.
The treatment by Vaidyar had worsened the boy’s condition and he was admitted to Amala Medical College here. Later, he was referred to GMCH. “The boy was given ventilator support in Thrissur Government Medical College on August 17 and his condition was serious. Blood tests revealed that the boy was having severe metabolic acidosis with Hypoklemia, where the body produces too much acid. His blood pressure was very low as well. Without wasting time, we started treatment,” said Vipin.
Propionic Acidemia is a condition in which the body fails to process protein and hence affects the metabolism. It manifested as continuous vomiting when the child was 15 days old.
Though his condition got better the following day, the blood pressure remained low. “On August 19, after consultation with Paediatric Department head Dr Purushothaman, we started dialysis. By evening, his condition worsened and he died,” the doctor said.
While the boy was under ventilator support, Vipin had asked the mother about the boy’s medical history. “The mother mentioned that they had taken him to Vaidyar at Kollam who told them the boy was autistic and he did not suffer from the disease diagnosed at Amritha,” said Vipin. Vaidyar advised her to stop all modern medicines and prescribed ‘nellikkaneer’ (gooseberry juice) and ‘ponkaram’ (borax).
“Later, I came to know that ponkaram is used as a medicine to treat asthma, cough and other respiratory ailments in Ayurveda. This itself shows how little he knows about medicine,” said Vipin.
Vaidyar has been in the news for all the wrong reasons. His therapies and tirade against modern medicine have always shocked people. Many people had come out against Vaidyar for his cancer and kidney stone treatment. Medical practitioners have been demanding stringent action against self-professed healers who put the lives of innocent people in danger.
Told them I could not help: Mohanan Vaidyar
THRISSUR: Responding to the allegations, Mohanan Vaidyar said he didn’t prescribe any medicine. “I told them I could not help them. I don’t know what the doctors at JN Naturopathy Centre at Ochira prescribed to the child,” he said. “I am not a practising physician. I do not take fees from anyone and do not prescribe medicines for anyone,” Vaidyar added.