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After 57 days in ICU, 11-year-old boy recovers from tetanus after tireless efforts by Pune’s state-run Sassoon General Hospital doctors

According to doctors at SGH, the boy had not received routine immunization, developed frequent spasms, and had difficulty breathing.

3 min readPuneAug 29, 2025 08:02 PM IST

"My son is much better and I am grateful to the doctors at SGH,” said boy's mother. (source: file)

At Pune’s Sassoon General Hospital (SGH), the state’s largest government hospital, an 11-year-old boy from Parbhani who was in a critical stage after contracting tetanus, once a major cause of death, from a minor wound, was successfully treated for complications and, despite the odds, was weaned off the ventilator after two months and discharged recently.

“My son is much better and I am grateful to the doctors at SGH,” said Rani (name changed), who earns a minimum of Rs 200 daily by selling handcrafted baskets at bus stations. Hailing from Parbhani, Rani is a widow and stays with her husband’s family. “My child was hurt while playing on the road, and we took him to the hospital. But he did not improve, and we brought him to Pune for advanced care,” she said.

According to doctors at SGH, the boy had not received routine immunization, developed frequent spasms, and had difficulty breathing. He required mechanical ventilation for 57 days in the paediatric intensive care unit.

“His course was complicated by pneumonia, nutritional deficiencies from prolonged illness, and constant spasms that demanded daily adjustment of medications,” Professor Dr Aarti Kinikar, Head, Department of Pediatrics, B J Government Medical College and SGH, told The Indian Express.

Dr Uday Rajput, PICU In-Charge, pointed out that there is a misconception that tetanus happens only with big injuries.

“In fact, even a small wound can cause it. The first step is always to wash the wound thoroughly with soap and clean water, remove dust or soil, and never use tight bandages or home remedies. Depending on the child’s immunization status, a booster or immunoglobulin may be required as per Indian Academy of Paediatrics (IAP) guidelines,” he said.

Nurses provided round-the-clock care for the boy, and after two months, he was weaned off the ventilator. After 15 days of supportive care, he was discharged from the hospital. Rani stayed in the hospital for the entire duration, and the Pediatric Department and the Medical Social Work team supported her with food, accommodation, and essential needs, ensuring she could focus entirely on her child’s recovery.

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“The successful outcome was the result of coordinated efforts,” Dr Eknath Pawar, Dean, B J Government Medical College SGH, said.

He explained that tetanus is a completely preventable disease. “Timely vaccination saves lives. This case is a reminder to every parent that immunization is not optional; it is lifesaving.”

In 2019, India had the highest number of incident tetanus cases at 16,579, followed by nations like Pakistan, Indonesia, and Nigeria. A global trend analysis from 1990 to 2019 shows that tetanus burden has significantly decreased overall — though incidence remains higher in low-SDI regions, especially among newborns.

According to World Health Organisation (WHO) data in 2021, India reported 1,240 tetanus cases, which included 81 neonatal and 1,159 non-neonatal cases.

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According to Dr Kinikar, neonatal tetanus still occurs in some areas because mothers miss their vaccines or deliveries happen in unhygienic conditions. “Vaccinating mothers, ensuring clean deliveries, and giving children timely booster doses are critical. If the mother has not been vaccinated, neonatal tetanus immunoglobulin can be given, but prevention is always better than cure,” Dr Kinikar said.

Anuradha Mascarenhas

Anuradha Mascarenhas is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With a career spanning three decades, she is one of the most respected voices in Indian journalism regarding healthcare, science and environment and research developments. She also takes a keen interest in covering women's issues . Professional Background Education: A gold medalist in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a Master’s degree in Literature. Author: She authored the biography At The Wheel Of Research, which chronicles the life and work of Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the former Chief Scientist at the WHO. Key Focus: She combines scientific accuracy with storytelling, translating complex medical research into compelling public and human-interest narratives. Awards and Recognition Anuradha has won several awards including the Press Council of India's national award for excellence in journalism under the gender based reporting category in 2019 and the Laadli Media award (gender sensitivity -2024). A recipient of the Lokmat journalism award (gender category-2022), she was also shortlisted for the RedInk awards for excellence in journalism-2021. Her debut book At The Wheel Of Research, an exclusive biography of Dr Soumya Swaminathan the inaugural chief scientist of World Health Organisation was also nominated in the Popular Choice Category of JK Paper AUTHER awards. She has also secured competitive fellowships including the Laadli Media Fellowship (2022), the Survivors Against TB – New Research in TB Media Fellowship (2023) and is part of the prestigious 2025 India Cohort of the WomenLift Health Leadership Journey.” Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) 1. Cancer & Specialized Medical Care "Tata Memorial finds way to kill drug-resistant cancer cells" (Nov 26, 2025): Reporting on a breakthrough for triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease. Discipline, diet and purpose; How a 97-year-old professor defies ageing'' (Nov 15, 2025) Report about Prof Gururaj Mutalik, the first Head of Department at Pune's B J Government Medical College who at 97 credits his longevity to healthy habits and a strong sense of purpose. 2. Environmental Health (The "Breathless Pune" Series) Long-term exposure even to 'moderate' air leads to chronic heart, lung, kidney issues" (Nov 26, 2025): Part of an investigative series highlighting that even "safe" pollution levels are damaging to vital organs. "For every 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 level, there was 6-8% jump in medicine sales" (Nov 23, 2025): Using commercial data to prove the direct link between air quality and respiratory illnesses in Pune. 3. Lifestyle & Wellness News "They didn't let cancer, diabetes and heart disease stop them from travelling" (Dec 22, 2025): A collaborative piece featuring survivors who share practical tips for traveling with chronic conditions. At 17, his BP shot up to 200/120 mmHG; Lancet study flags why child and teen hypertension doubled between 2000 and 2020'' (Nov 12,2025)--A report that focusses on 17-year-old-boy's hypertensive crisis and reflects the rising global trend of high blood pressure among children and adolescents. 4. Scientific Recognition & Infrastructure For promoting sci-comm, gender diversity: IUCAA woman prof highlighted in Nature" (Nov 25, 2025): Covering the global recognition of Indian women scientists in gender studies and physics. Pune researchers find a spiral galaxy like the Milky Way from early universe'' (December 3, 2025)- A report on how Indian researchers discovered a massive galaxy that existed when the universe was just 1.5 billion years old , one of the earliest to have been observed so far. Signature Beat: Health, Science & Women in Leadership Anuradha is known for her COVID-19 reportage, where she was one of the first journalists to provide detailed insights into the Covishield and Covaxin trials. She has a dedicated interest in gender diversity in health and science, often profiling women researchers who are breaking the "leaky pipeline" in STEM fields. Her writing style is scrupulous, often featuring interviews with top-tier scientists and health experts from various institutions. ... Read More

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