KURNOOL: In a shocking incident, a 5-year-old speech and hearing challenged boy remained locked inside the office of the Head of Department (HoD) of anaesthesia unit in the Government General Hospital (GGH), Kurnool, for nearly 24 hours.
Though the family and the police searched for the boy on the hospital premises after he went missing, they could not find him. The boy was traced in the room the next day.
According to hospital superintendent Dr Venkata Ranga Reddy, the boy Sujeeth, son of Hussenaiah and Mounika of Tippayapalle village in Orvakal mandal, was admitted to the hospital about 20 days back.
“The doctors decided to perform surgery on the boy after completing all medical examinations, including blood tests, X-ray, CT scan. The doctors planned cochlear implant operation and the date was also fixed (March 19),” the superintendent said.
Around 10.30 am on Sunday, the boy came out from his room in the general ward when his mother went to collect medical reports. It is said he walked into the HoD chambers, which was kept open for cleaning. The sanitation staff, who reportedly went out to dump the garbage, returned after some time and locked the door and went ahead with their regular duties.
The boy’s mother Mounika returned after some time and was shocked to find her son missing from the general ward and immediately asked the nursing staff and PG doctors. Initially, the hospital staff and parents searched for the boy on the premises.
As he could not be found, the boy’s parents complained to the police. A case was registered. The police rushed to the hospital and began search, but could not find him.
Surgery on boy postponed after the incident
The hospital authorities said no one bothered to look in the HoD room as it was locked and no one heard his cries as he was speech impaired. The boy spent the entire night in the room till the next morning. There was no food but he grabbed water available there in the fridge.
Dr Venkata Ranga Reddy said the surgery to be performed on the boy was postponed as the boy and his parents were feeling mentally depressed after the incident. The boy, however, is healthy, he added.
The hospital authorities have warned the staff of action if they continue to be negligent in the duty of checking the rooms before locking them up.