Another case of medical negligence has come to light at Khyber Teaching Hospital, the second largest hospital in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where a towel was left inside a patient’s abdomen following a delivery procedure.

The incident occurred on June 26 when Zara Bibi, a nurse at the Peshawar Institute of Cardiology (PIC) and a resident of Chitral, underwent a delivery operation at the Khyber Teaching Hospital.

Zara Bibi’s husband, Akbar Ali, said that after two days in the hospital, they were discharged and returned home.

However, Zara Bibi started experiencing severe abdominal pain and fever. When they contacted the gynecology ward, they were told it was normal after delivery and would subside with medication.

On July 1, Zara Bibi’s pain worsened, and Akbar Ali took her to the emergency room at Khyber Teaching Hospital. After X-rays and ultrasounds, the gynecology ward again declared her clear and sent her home.

On July 4th, they returned to the hospital to have her stitches removed, but the pain persisted. Despite their concerns, they were reassured and allowed to return to their village in Chitral.

However, the pain continued, and on July 6, Zara Bibi was taken to the Peshawar Institute of Cardiology instead of Khyber Teaching Hospital. Tests, including ultrasounds, revealed fluid in her lungs. When they informed the gynecology ward at KTH, they were referred to a chest specialist.

Zara Bibi’s pain persisted, and on July 8, she was admitted to the surgical ward at KTH. X-rays, ultrasounds, and CT scans were performed, but the hospital refused to conduct them in-house, instead sending them to an external facility. These tests revealed an object in her abdomen.

On July 9th, a second surgery was performed, and the towel was removed from Zara Bibi’s abdomen. She remains hospitalized.

Akbar Ali accused the hospital of negligence and questioned the reliability of their tests, as multiple tests conducted at the hospital came back clear while private tests revealed the problem.

Provincial Health Minister Qasim Ali Shah has taken notice of the incident and has indicated that action will be taken against those repsonsible.