Newindpress

Trichy, Jun 20:  A 15-year-old boy has performed a Caesarean operation on a woman much to the shock and dismay of the medical fraternity here. A violation of medical ethics though, it was for the sake of setting a record, argued the boy’s father Murugesan, a doctor.

The boy, Dhileepan Raj, a standard ten student, had successfully performed the surgery under the watchful eyes of his doctor-parents — Dr Murugesan, an MS, and Dr Gandhimathy, a gynaecologist, of Mathi Surgical and Maternity Hospital, Manapparai.

According to sources, Dr Murugesan himself disclosed this information much to the shock of his colleagues during the IMA meeting held in Manapparai on May 6.

He also reportedly played a CD on the operation evoking strong criticism from the IMA members. When the other doctors present at the meeting questioned him, Dr Murugesan did not apologise, but argued why his son, a non-medico, should not perform an operation when a 10-year-old could drive a car for setting a record and a 15- year-old boy could become a docto r in the US.

Subsequently, the Manapparai branch of the IMA adopted a resolution against Dr Murugesan at an urgent meeting convened on May 11 and sent a report to the Central Committee of the IMA in Chennai demanding stern action against him. The IMA state unit also sought an explanation from Dr Murugesan. Not to be taken aback by the unexpected development, Dr Murugesan sent a reply stating that the surgery was performed by himself while his son ‘‘just watched it out of curiosity’’.

However, the IMA is not ready to buy his explanation. The members want stringent action against him. When asked about the action taken, IMA state president Dr N Mohandoss clarified that the state unit had already represented the matter to the Ethics Committee and called for an explanation from Dr Murugesan.

‘‘We strongly condemn the act. Murugesan has sent a reply stating that the surgery was performed by him only and his son was only a witness to it. As Murugesan himself had played a CD at the IMA meeting, we will send a report to the State Medical Council recommending to debar him. Only the council is the competent authority to take disciplinary action against erring doctors,’’ Dr Mohandoss told this website's newspaper. Dr Murugesan, however, was not available for comment.