A doctor employed at a private hospital is facing a criminal case due to allegations of negligence resulting in nose necrosis in a newborn baby. The accusation points to the doctor’s excessive use of phototherapy.
According to the complaint filed at Narayanguda police station on June 8, the complainant’s wife gave birth to a baby boy, and the doctor recommended phototherapy for the newborn. During the treatment, the complainant noticed that the baby’s nose had turned red and brought this concern to the doctor’s attention. Allegedly, the doctor dismissed it as a normal occurrence.
However, on June 22, a portion of the baby’s nose turned black and detached. The complainant stated that when he informed the doctor about this development, the doctor sought advice from others and acknowledged that a mistake had occurred. The doctor assured the complainant that the hospital would cover the expenses for the required treatment. The hospital management consulted a plastic surgery and cosmetic expert, who examined the baby and suggested that a cap could be attached to the nose after two years. Furthermore, when the child reaches the age of 14, they would perform plastic surgery on him, as per the information provided by the police.
The complainant further alleged that when he requested reports from the hospital authorities, they refused to share them and even threatened him. This incident caused significant mental distress to both the complainant and his wife. The complainant firmly believes that the baby’s nose necrosis is a direct result of the excessive phototherapy administered by the doctor.
Phototherapy is treatment with a special type of light (not sunlight). It’s sometimes used to treat newborn jaundice by making it easier for your baby’s liver to break down and remove the bilirubin from your baby’s blood. Phototherapy aims to expose your baby’s skin to as much light as possible.
