5 surgeries, 30 days in ICU: Parents of Palakkad girl who had her arm amputated say govt yet to offer any help

Kozhikode/Palakkad: It has been a month since nine-year-old Vinodhini from Pallassana, Palakkad, was admitted to the Kozhikode Government Medical College Hospital after her right hand was amputated due to alleged medical negligence. But despite undergoing five surgeries and spending 30 days in the ICU, her family says they have yet to receive any financial assistance or concrete support from the state government.

Vinodhini, a Class 4 student of ALPS Pallassana, fell in front of her house on September 24 while playing with her younger siblings and fractured her right hand. She was first taken to the Palakkad District Hospital, where her parents allege that the doctors ignored an open wound on her hand while treating the fracture. Her condition later worsened, and she was shifted to the Kozhikode Medical College, where amputation became unavoidable.

“We received many promises from officials and politicians in the beginning, but nothing has been done so far,” said her father, Vinod, who was the sole breadwinner of the family through daily wage work. Vinod, his wife Praseedha, and their three children live in a rented shed and belong to a Scheduled Caste community.

“Since the day Vinodhini was hospitalised, I haven’t been able to go to work. We have no income now. We live by borrowing from others and have already spent around ₹30,000, all taken on credit,” Vinod said. “The house owner hasn’t asked for rent, knowing our situation. We’re grateful for his kindness,” he added.

While treatment at the medical college is free, the family struggles to afford basic expenses like food and utilities. Vinod and Praseedha stay with their daughter in Kozhikode, while their two younger sons, Anurag (4) and Aravind (5), are with their grandmother. “Aravind is in Class 1, but since he is away from home and my mother has no way to take him to school, his classes have also come to a halt,” Vinod said.

He added that in the initial days after the incident, several political leaders, including MLAs, MPs, and ministers, either visited or called, assuring support. “After that, no one followed up. We have submitted pleas to the Health Department and the Chief Minister, but there’s been no response,” he said. “We want to pursue legal action for medical negligence, but right now, we neither have the money nor the time.”

“Whenever we go near our daughter, she keeps asking when her hand will grow back. What can we tell her?” Vinod added.

Following the incident, the Health Department had suspended two doctors from the Palakkad District Hospital. However, District Hospital Superintendent P K Jayasree defended the doctors, denying negligence and instead alleging that the parents delayed bringing the child back for follow-up treatment after she complained of pain.

When contacted, the office of Health Minister Veena George said they would respond only after verifying the parents’ allegations. “We will look into the matter and respond accordingly,” the office said.

Meanwhile, Palakkad MP V K Sreekandan called it a lapse on the part of the state government. “The government still refuses to admit its mistake and continues to defend the accused doctors. It also failed to offer any financial assistance to the family, either,” he told Onmanorama. However, he added that he was not aware of the family’s current financial distress. Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkootathil was unavailable for comment.