UP: Fruit juice infused instead of plasma, hospital sealed after dengue patient dies

Prayagraj: In a bizarre incident, a private hospital in Prayagraj was sealed on Thursday after it was reported that they allegedly transferred sweet lime juice instead of plasma to a dengue patient who later passed away. The Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak has ordered a probe into the incident.

A video allegedly exposing the incident from UP has gone viral on social media. It was shared on social media by a local journalist.

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The patient who is a resident of Bamrauli in Prayagraj Global Hospital in Jhalwa, was admitted to the Global Hospital and Trauma Centre after being diagnosed with Dengue. The family of the patient alleged that his condition became worse after he was transfused with platelets from one of the bags supplied by the hospital. After he was transferred to a second hospital, the patient passed away. 

The doctors at the second hospital stated that the platelet bag was fake and consisted of a mix of chemicals and sweet lime or mosambi juice, reports the NDTV. Demanding strict action against the hospital staff, a relative of the patient said, "My 26-year-old sister is widow. I want the Yogi Adityanath government to take strict action against the hospital for the lapses." 

Uttar Pradesh deputy chief minister Brajesh Pathak directed the district administration to seal the hospital after the video went viral on social media.  In a tweet, Pathak wrote, "Taking cognisance of the viral video at the hospital where a dengue patient was transfused with sweet lemon juice instead of platelets, on my directive the hospital was sealed and the platelet packets have been sent for testing, " adding, "If found guilty, strict action will be taken against the hospital." Pathak further said that a probe into the incident was underway and a test report was expected soon.

According to Dr Nanak Saran, chief medical officer, of Prayagraj, the content of the platelet bag could only be determined after a forensic probe and not through the naked eyes. Saran stated that a preliminary report is expected soon after the preliminary investigation. Saran told reporters that the patient was first given three units of platelets, and the reaction took place after five more platelets were arranged for transfusion. He was eventually shifted to the heart centre after his condition became serious, as per a media report in the Quint. 

However, the owner of the private hospital alleged that the platelets were arranged by the relatives of the patient, and the latter developed reactions after being transfused with three units. He said that after the patient's platelets dropped to 17000, his relatives asked to arrange for blood platelets. He said, "They brought five units of platelets from SRN Hospital. After a transfusion of three units, the patient had a reaction. So we stopped it."

According to the owner, the platelet needs to be examined to figure out their origin since they had the sticker of Swaroop Rani Nehru hospital on them. District Magistrate Sanjay Kumar Khatri said, "An inquiry is underway and the platelets will also be tested."

Meanwhile, taking view of the rising dengue cases, the state government has restricted all UP doctors and paramedical staff from taking leave. The Allahabad High Court on Wednesday directed the Municipal Corporation here to apprise it of the steps taken for the control and prevention of dengue. The Lucknow Bench of the court also asked the state government to inform it about the upgrade of medical facilities.

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