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