19-Month-Old Taken To Madhya Pradesh Hospital With Cold. He Loses Eyesight

A 19-month-old taken to a government hospital for cold, cough and redness in the eyes has allegedly lost his eyesight forever due to medical negligence, triggering outrage in Madhya Pradesh's Sagar - a district under the charge of the state's health minister.The incident has been reported from Banda Civil Hospital in Sagar, where Indraj Vishwakarma, a resident of Bhusa Kamalpur village, had taken his son for treatment on May 29, 2026. According to the family, the child had minor symptoms cold, cough and redness in the eyes when he was brought to the hospital.The family obtained an OPD slip and consulted the doctor on duty, paediatrician Dr. Himanshu Verma. Indraj Vishwakarma alleges that after examining the child, the doctor prescribed eye drops, paracetamol syrup, an injection and other medicines. However, the family claims that during treatment, a medicine meant for clearing phlegm was allegedly put into the child's eyes.What followed was a rapid deterioration in the child's condition, the father said. The family remained at the hospital for nearly three to four hours, hoping the child would improve. Instead, his condition worsened.As the situation became serious, the hospital referred the child to the district hospital in Sagar. After examining him, doctors there reportedly advised the family to take him to a higher medical centre for advanced treatment. The family then rushed the child to AIIMS Bhopal.At AIIMS, specialist doctors examined the child and delivered the heartbreaking news. According to the father, doctors told them that the child had completely lost his eyesight, allegedly due to wrong medication or medical negligence."My son's life has been destroyed," the father has alleged in his complaint filed in the Banda police station. "He was taken to hospital for cough, cold and redness in the eyes. Now he will never be able to see."Following the incident, Indraj Vishwakarma lodged a formal complaint, demanding strict action against the doctor and hospital staff responsible. The family has sought an impartial inquiry, alleging gross negligence at a government healthcare facility.After the matter gained attention, the Health Department swung into action. Sagar Chief Medical and Health Officer Dr Ganga Prasad Arya has constituted a three-member inquiry committee. The committee has been asked to submit its report within a week.Arya said an impartial investigation is underway. He said the inquiry will examine what medicine was prescribed, what was actually administered, and whether any negligence occurred. He added that strict action will be taken against anyone found guilty.Police and the health department are also investigating the matter separately.This is not the first recent allegation of medical negligence from Sagar. Just days earlier, a patient, Devendra Pathak, died during treatment at Bundelkhand Medical College. His family alleged that his condition deteriorated due to an overdose of anesthesia and that timely treatment was not provided after his condition became critical. Health Minister Rajendra Shukla had taken cognisance of that case and ordered an inquiry.