NAWABSHAH, April 24: A pair of forceps has been removed from the abdomen of a 17-year-old girl at the People’s Medical College Hospital here. The forceps had been left in the abdomen of the girl, Akleeman, when she had been operated upon for appendicitis in August, 2003, her brother Mairajuddin Dahiri said.

The administration of the hospital has constituted a committee to look into the allegation.

The girl, daughter of Pandhi Dahiri of the Atta Mohammad Dahiri village, was admitted to the surgical unit of the hospital in March 2003 with severe abdominal pain. She was operated upon by a team including Dr Qazi Raza, Dr Tufail Kondhar, Dr Gul Mari and Dr Naheed on Aug 15 when the forceps were allegedly left in the body.

Three months later, the patient again complained of pain and received ‘treatment’ at the hospital.

She was brought to the hospital on Friday night and her X-ray showed the surgical instrument in the abdomen. She was operated upon on Saturday when the forceps were taken out.

PMC Principal Prof Ali Akbar Ghumro and Medical Superintendent Dr Mehfooz Qureshi told Dawn the inquiry committee headed by Prof Gulshan Ali Memon and comprising Dr Ghulam Nabi Memon, Dr Altaf and Deputy Ms Dr Naseer Shaikh would present its report ‘within 24 hours’. They said strict action would be taken against any doctor found guilty.

The girl’s brother, however, rejected the committee, and said he feared that the doctors would protect their colleagues. He demanded that the health minister should order a judicial inquiry.