• After a tumor removal surgery five years ago
• Official investigation and suspension of medical staff Involved

The discovery of a surgical instrument inside a woman’s abdomen five years after her operation at Alappuzha Medical College has caused widespread shock in Kerala, India, with some attributing the incident to possible medical negligence.

The patient, 51-year-old Usha Joseph, recently sought medical attention due to persistent abdominal pain and blood in her urine, according to local reports.

Usha underwent surgery in May 2021 to remove a large uterine tumor.

After the procedure, she continued to suffer from abdominal pain, but doctors attributed it to kidney stones and prescribed medication without conducting a thorough examination.

The forceps were only detected after she consulted a urologist at a private hospital and underwent an X-ray.

Kerala’s Health Minister, Veena George, ordered a comprehensive investigation and announced the suspension of any medical staff involved in the surgery who are still in service until the inquiry concludes.

A four-member expert committee has been formed to review hospital records and procedures.

Usha was transferred to a private hospital in Kochi for the removal of the instrument.

Her family expressed plans to file an official police complaint, citing years of suffering and what they considered dismissive treatment from doctors when she sought help.

The government faced sharp criticism from the opposition, with Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala accusing authorities of administrative negligence in public hospitals and demanding that the government cover Usha’s medical expenses and provide full support to her family.

Congress MP K C Venugopal questioned the recurrence of such incidents despite government claims that public healthcare in Kerala is “number one.”

The case has reignited debates over patient safety and accountability in government health facilities, with calls for stricter protocols and greater transparency in public hospitals.