The doctor who performed the surgery has been suspended. (Representational)

A doctor in Kerala's Malappuram performed a hernia surgery on a seven-year-old boy instead of removing an outgrowth in his nasal passage after the names of two patients got mixed up.

The boy was operated for hernia on Tuesday at a medical college in Kerala's Manjeri town, 175 km north of Kochi, sources said.

Hospital sources told news agency PTI that there was another patient who was supposed to undergo surgery for hernia, and the mistake happened due to the similarity in their names.

State Health Minister KK has Shylaja ordered a probe and suspended the doctor, A Suresh Kumar. "Patients must not suffer due to the negligence of the hospital staff," the minister said, adding that the boy would be given free treatment.

The state human rights commission has registered a case in connection with the incident.

"There is serious negligence on behalf of the staff, including the doctor," rights panel member K Mohan Kumar said in his interim order. He asked the medical college superintendent to submit a report with the statements of all the staff present inside the operation theatre.