Chunian Hospital Doctors Leave Towel in Woman’s Abdomen During Surgery
CHUNIAN: A severe case of gross medical negligence has sparked widespread public outrage in the Kasur district after doctors at Tehsil Headquarter (THQ) Hospital Chunian reportedly left a surgical towel inside a woman’s abdomen during a childbirth operation. The victim’s aggrieved family launched strong protests against the hospital administration, alleging extreme carelessness by the duty doctors and surgical team during the procedure, which severely endangered the young mother’s life.
According to details provided by the family, the patient was admitted to the government facility for a maternity delivery operation. While the procedure initially appeared routine, the woman began suffering from excruciating abdominal pain, high fever, and persistent post-operative complications shortly after being discharged. Subsequent medical evaluations and diagnostic imaging revealed that the surgical staff had inadvertently sealed a surgical towel inside her abdominal cavity before stitching the incision.
The horrific incident highlights persistent gaps in healthcare standards, surgical safety checklists, and operational accountability within public sector hospitals across Punjab. Medical experts emphasize that basic World Health Organization (WHO) surgical safety guidelines mandate rigorous pre- and post-operation counts of all instruments, sponges, and towels. The failure to adhere to these standard operating procedures in peripheral public facilities continues to pose grave risks to vulnerable patients seeking accessible medical care.
In response to the growing public outcry and family demands, the hospital administration and district health authorities are expected to form a formal fact-finding committee to investigate the breach of protocol. The victim’s relatives have appealed directly to the Punjab Health Department and provincial authorities to suspend the negligent healthcare personnel immediately, conduct a thorough probe, and guarantee full medical support and compensation for the victim’s emergency corrective surgery.