The defendant also stated the gangrene was a complication of a medication known as inotropic support that was administered on K Vimal Raj to save the life of the 17-year-old.

In his statement of claim filed in December, J Krishnasamy said his son, Vimal, had his left hand amputated below the elbow, right leg below the knee, with the left heel and toes removed in 2019.

In asking for special, aggravated, exemplary and general damages, the plaintiff claimed his son’s predicament was due to the doctors’ negligence and breaches.

Krishnasamy said Vimal was a normal child without any critical illnesses or genetic issues, except for having an allergic reaction in his genital area before his admission to the hospital.

He was only diagnosed as suffering from “balanitis”, which is said to be a treatable condition that commonly happens in uncircumcised males.

The father said surgeries were conducted between March 15 and Nov 26, 2019, causing Vimal to suffer severe disabilities.

Krishnasamy, represented by Harwinder Kaur, has named the health ministry, Ampang Hospital, three doctors and the government as defendants.

The government in its defence dated Feb 2 and sighted by FMT also pleaded that at the intensive care unit, Vimal was administered heart support medication and antibiotics and was sedated to prevent any bacterial infection.

It said the discoloration of Vimal’s toes and fingers was a complication and side effect of the heart support medication known as inotrope.

Further, it said there was an increase in the complications as Vimal was suffering from septic shock and disseminated intravascular coagulopathy.

The government pleaded that there was no necessity to obtain the consent of Krishnasamy or the teenager’s family members before administering the inotropes because it was the doctors’ duty to treat the patient.

A case management would be held before Judge Ahmad Bache on March 5.