Guwahati: A nurse has been booked by the police following accusations from the family of a 10-year-old boy that their son suffered serious burns due to the alleged use of acid instead of antiseptic during a dressing of wound at Dolong Ghat Model Hospital in Morigaon district.
The family alleged in their complaint that the nurse had poured a liquid on the boy which caused him extreme agony and distress. They claimed that the liquid was acid. After reporting the matter to the doctor who was on duty at the hospital, they alleged that the latter tried to suppress the matter.
The boy's mother alleged that the area where the liquid was poured became swollen, dark and appeared burnt. The family are in fear that it could lead to serious injuries or become life-threatening for their son. However, the police confirmed the boy's condition to be stable now.
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Accusing the nurse of medical negligence and holding her responsible for the boy's condition, an FIR has been registered at the police station and an investigation is underway to ascertain the nature of the liquid.
The incident took place on Monday when the boy, a resident of Jajari Muslim village visited the hospital to dress his wounds. On May 18, the boy was admitted to the hospital with head and hand injuries after he fell in the bathroom. He was discharged after treatment at the hospital.
While dressing his wounds, the nurse allegedly poured a liquid which is claimed to be acid instead of antiseptic near the the injury mark. The boy screamed in agony and the area of injury is alleged to have deteriorated.
Further, when the father of the boy approached a doctor, the doctor attempted to grab the bottle, which made him suspect that the substance inside was supposedly "acid".
Speaking to TOI, the boy's mother said, “Medicine is not supposed to be like this. It must be acid. When we protested, some staff threatened to call the police,”
Meanwhile, Dr Utpal Mahanta, the deputy superintendent of the hospital refuted the allegations and told The Daily it was betadine solution (disinfectant) and not acid.
As per the India Today NE news report, the family rushed their son to a private hospital in Nagaon after the incident where doctors confirmed the presence of acid on his injuries.
Following this, the police summoned the medical staff of the Dolong Ghat Model Hospital on Tuesday morning and the case is under investigation.
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