A probe report on a "botched surgery" by Chittagong Medical College Hospital on a six-year-old girl that led to amputation of her forearm has been left untouched for over 24 hours by the CMCH authorities.

When The Daily Star contacted the hospital's director, Brig Gen Khondakar Shahidul Ghani, at 1:30pm yesterday, he said he received the report on Monday, adding, "I did not go through it."

The correspondent then repeatedly tried to contact Prof SM Ashraf Ali of the hospital's surgery department, who headed the probe committee, without success, as he was not receiving any of the calls.

The correspondent has been trying to find out details of the surgery and allegation since September 28, but was repeatedly sent back without any information.

Dr AM Kazi Harun-ur-Rashid, a relative of the girl and an associate professor of Chittagong University's Arabic department, said, "We have frequently contacted the authorities asking about the progress of the report and they always assured us of completing the investigation as soon as possible."

However, when asked about the probe report, he claimed they were not informed about any report.

According to the complaint lodged by the girl's family, on August 27, six-year-old Waheda was admitted to the orthopaedic department of CMCH after a pickup truck drove over her left leg. In an operation that night, doctors cut off her leg from a bit over the ankle.

As the first surgery did not go well, the doctors performed another surgery a few days later in which they cut off her leg from under the knee. After the operation, the cannula inserted into her left hand to deliver medicine and saline had "penetrated a muscle" due to negligence of the doctors, it added.

As a result, saline and other liquids began accumulating in the muscle causing Waheda's hand to swell up. Doctors tried to remove the liquid, but cut off the nerves in the hand causing it to become black, said Harun-ur-Rashid.      

"Doctors then arranged a third operation on September 17 and cut off her left forearm," said Harun.

A few days later on September 21, the relatives lodged the complaint with the CMCH director to probe into the matter.           

The first probe body was formed on September 22 headed by Prof Dr Omar Faruk Yusuf of the surgery department, said sources at the hospital.

As Dr Omar declined to lead the  committee, another committee headed by Ashraf Ali was formed on September 27 and it was asked to submit a report within seven working days. But, it failed to submit the report within the stipulated time and submitted it on Monday.

Talking to The Daily Star, Harun alleged that the doctors had changed the information in Waheda's medical file stating that her left leg and hand were injured in the accident. 

"The old file stated that only her left leg was injured in the accident," he said.

He also said doctors of the department hid the report of the X-ray performed immediately after the incident.

This correspondent then contacted Ashraf Ali but he did not want to comment on the matter and said, "Our investigation is going on and we will submit our report very soon."

Dr Alok Kumar Biswas, head of the orthopaedic department, said he did not want to make any comment without permission from the director, and the director did not answer the calls made to him.     

Marium Begum, Waheda's mother, said her daughter lost her hand due to negligence and she wants justice.

Living a hand-to-mouth existence, Waheda's family had to borrow Tk 75,000 from relatives for the treatment so far, Marium said.