Two diagnostic centres sealed in Alappuzha 

The Health department on Saturday sealed two private scanning centres in Alappuzha after a woman gave birth to a child with severe congenital anomalies. Officials said the diagnostic centres had failed to detect abnormalities in the foetus, despite the woman undergoing multiple antenatal scans during the pregnancy period. The department cancelled the licences of Sankar’s and Midas labs in Alappuzha town and sealed the scanning machines and other equipment.

“As per the law, scanning records must be kept for two years, but the investigation revealed that one of the diagnostic centres has not maintained any records. The investigation is ongoing and more action will be taken later,” said an official.

Earlier, Health Minister Veena George appointed an expert team to look into a complaint filed by Anish Muhammed from Lajnathul Ward in Alappuzha municipality stating that his wife, Surumy, gave birth to a child with severe birth defects, including facial deformities, misaligned ears and eyes, atypical genitalia, a hole in the lungs, tongue retraction when lying on the back, and limb defects, on November 8.

The family alleged lapses on the part of doctors at the Women and Children Hospital (W and C) and at two diagnostic centres for failing to identify the defects before birth, despite multiple scans during the pregnancy period.

The expert team led by Health department additional director V. Meenakshi on Friday examined the child and visited the two diagnostic centres.

The Alappuzha South police recently registered a case against four doctors – two gynaecologists at the W and C Hospital, Alappuzha, and two doctors at the private labs – based on a complaint filed by Mr. Muhammed. The case was registered under Sections 125 (Act endangering life or personal safety of others) and 125 (b) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.