Medical Error: SMS hospital under spotlight after wrong blood transfusion takes life of accident victim

Jaipur: In an alleged case of medical negligence, a 23-year-old road accident victim died after blood of the wrong group was allegedly administered to him at  Jaipur's Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Hospital on February 12. 

Following the transfusion of the blood, both kidneys of the patient developed complications and he later succumbed due to the alleged negligence.

The deceased has been identified as Sachin Sharma, a resident of Bandikui town, who was admitted to the Trauma Centre of the hospital on February 12 after he suffered severe injuries in a road accident in Kotputli city.

In the wake of the incident, the state government put three doctors on pending posting order and suspended a nursing staff after they were found guilty in a probe conducted by a committee.

A senior city police officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, stated that an FIR has been registered under IPC 304 A (causing death by negligence) against unnamed medical staffers.  

According to the report, the sample for blood transfusion was taken by Nursing Officer Ashok Kumar Verma. Resident Dr Rishabh Chalana did not write any notes on the patient's record and Assistant Professor Dr S K Goyal did not pay attention to the blood transfusion parameters before the surgery.

Dr Daulatram, who was on duty at Trauma Blood Bank on the night of February 15, also failed to inform his superiors about the wrong blood group, the report said.

"The patient died today while undergoing treatment. Cause of death is unclear as family members have refused to get the post-mortem done. The body has been kept at the hospital's mortuary," SMS Hospital Superintendent Dr Achal Sharma said.

He said the patient's blood group was O-positive but he was transfused with AB-positive blood.

An official familiar with the matter said due to the wrong blood transfusion, both kidneys of the patient developed complications and he was put on dialysis.

As per a media report in TOI, ''Investigation by a board constituted by the SMS Medical College has been completed and the confidential report has been sent to the state government for action,'' said Dr Achal Sharma, Medical Superintendent Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Hospital.

The Congress slammed the state BJP government for the lapse and demanded it compensate the victim.

Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Tikaram Jully wrote on X: "The Bhajanlal government of the state seems to be failing on every front. From the poor condition of law and order to the condition of the health department in the state remains worrying! The government should take strict action against the culprits and provide financial help to the family."