{
  "id": 5756350,
  "title": "Needle found in one-year-old’s body, family alleges medical negligence at Kerala hospital",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/05/needle-found-in-one-year-olds-body-family-alleges-medical-negligence-5756350",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-05T09:43:37.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Indian Express - India",
    "slug": "the-indian-express-india",
    "url": "https://indianexpress.com/article/india/needle-found-in-one-year-olds-body-family-alleges-medical-negligence-at-kerala-hospital-10864439/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In Kerala's Kozhikode district, a one-year-old girl underwent surgery after a needle was discovered lodged near her right ribs. The parents of the child, Anju and Vineesh, allege that the needle may have been left behind during treatment at Kottayam Medical College Hospital. The incident was first reported by news agency PTI in July 2026, following a detailed examination at Kozhikode Medical College Hospital, where the needle was subsequently removed surgically. The child, born at Kottayam Medical College Hospital in June 2025, had previously been diagnosed with jaundice and treated in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Anju, the child's mother, noted that her family resides near Ettumanoor in Kottayam. Initially, the parents believed the swelling near the child's right ribs was a minor growth, but subsequent discomforts led them to seek medical attention again in July 2026. During this visit, doctors discovered the needle, which appeared to have been inside the child's body for an extended period. The family suspects the needle may have been inadvertently left during the NICU treatment at Kottayam Medical College Hospital, as the child had not undergone any other surgeries or prolonged hospital stays in that time. Anju also mentioned noticing a pointed object near her daughter's body in photographs taken around the NICU admission. The family has filed a complaint with the hospital's superintendent and plans to approach State Health Minister K Muraleedharan to address the alleged medical negligence. In response to the complaint, hospital authorities have initiated an inquiry, with a deputy superintendent tasked to investigate the matter, identify personnel on duty during the child's NICU treatment, and examine the circumstances surrounding the alleged negligence. Hospital officials assured that the allegations would be taken seriously and thoroughly investigated to establish the facts.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Indian Express",
        "title": "Needle found in one-year-old’s body, family alleges medical negligence at Kerala hospital",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/05/needle-found-in-one-year-olds-body-family-alleges-medical-negligence",
        "published": "2026-09-05T09:43:37.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}