Woman in Kerala given chemotherapy after wrong diagnosis

Kottayam (Kerala): A woman was administered chemotherapy in a hospital here despite not having cancer. The Kerala State Human Rights Commission on Monday registered a case for suspected medical negligence.

Justice (retired) Antony Dominic directed the Director of Medical Education to file a detailed report on the episode in three weeks time and asked the Superintendent of the Kottayam Medical College, where the chemotherapy was given to file an urgent report.

The incident had occurred after Rajani from Alappuzha was given the first dose of chemotherapy at the Kottayam Medical College hospital for a tumour treatment.

Medical professionals at the Kottayam Medical College though said that the treatment was taken up based on reports from a private laboratory here, which had identified the tumour as cancerous.

After the first dose was administered, Rajani lost all her hair.

Following which her sample was send to the state capital where separate tests done at the Regional Cancer Centre and in the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College pathology department found out that her tumour was benign.

The Kerala government also ordered a probe. State Health Minister K.K. Shailaja spoke to the patient on Monday and assured her that in case she required further treatment, it would be taken care of by the state government.