Thiruvananthapuram/ Palakkad: The Kerala Government Medical Officers’ Association (KGMOA) has condemned the state government’s decision to suspend two doctors from Palakkad District Hospital over allegations of medical negligence in the treatment of a nine-year-old girl whose right hand was later amputated. The Association termed the move an attempt to scapegoat doctors to pacify public outrage.

In a statement on Monday, the KGMOA demanded that the suspension be revoked and a fair, comprehensive investigation be conducted into the incident. The Association warned that it would be compelled to launch protests if the government failed to act.

The suspended doctors — Junior Resident Dr Mustafa and Junior Consultant Dr Sarfaraz — were removed from duty pending an inquiry and disciplinary action under Rule 10(1)(a) of the Kerala Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 1960. The action came despite hospital authorities ruling out any lapse in treatment.

Citing reports from two expert committees, the KGMOA maintained that there was no medical negligence on the part of the doctors and that all necessary care had been provided to the child. It added that there was no evidence of any violation of treatment protocols and that the Health Department has not issued specific guidelines for such cases.

According to Palakkad District Hospital Superintendent P K Jayasree, the child was admitted on September 24 with fractures in both bones of her right hand following a fall. After an X-ray, a closed manipulative reduction was performed and a cast applied, with blood circulation confirmed as normal. The next day, the child returned for a check-up, and no complications were noted. However, on September 30, she was brought back in a critical condition—two days before her scheduled review—and was referred to Kozhikode Medical College Hospital, where doctors decided amputation was the only option.

The KGMOA alleged that the government was using the suspension to divert attention from deeper issues in the health sector. “Such hasty actions demoralise doctors working under severe constraints, pushing them towards defensive medicine and ultimately affecting patient care,” it said.

The Association also pointed out that government doctors continue to deliver the best possible care despite severe shortages of manpower and infrastructure. It noted that most hospitals in Kerala still fall short of the Indian Public Health Standards (IPHS) benchmarks necessary to ensure quality healthcare delivery.