Patient administered wrong injection, saline at Odisha hospital

According to various media reports, a 65 year-old patient, Khedu Samal, native of Dumermunda village under Saintala block was admitted to bed No. 48 in the male medicine ward of the hospital due to stomach pain.

Meanwhile, another patient named Mahananda, 60, of Khujenbahal village of Bongamunda block in the district was receiving treatment in bed No. 49 of male medicine ward due to kidney related issues.

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Doctors prescribed some injections and saline to Samal after his check up. A health worker of the hospital administered an injection and saline meant for the second patient to Samal, as both the patients were undergoing treatment there.

The issue came to the fore when Mahananda's daughter observed that her father's name was written on the saline bottle given to Samal after which he informed his wife and son.

However, after informing them, a woman health worker allegedly misbehaved with the family members of Samal instead of dealing with the issue, stated Nuakhai Samal, Samal's son.

He told OdishaTv, "We rushed him (Khedu Samal) to the hospital after he experienced abdominal pain on Sunday night. The doctor prescribed him some injections and saline and those were given to him yesterday. However, today (Monday), some health worker administered the injection and saline prescribed for Hari Mahaling, who has kidney ailments and backbone issues, to my father."

They eventually informed the issue to the doctor on duty. The family members were reportedly fearing the consequences of being administered a different injection and saline.

Meanwhile, the healthcare workers in the hospital admitted to the mistake saying that the injection was administered accidentally. They added that the confusion was caused since a similar bottle was also prescribed to the other patient, with whom the confusion took place. The doctors are keeping a close watch on Samal for any adverse reaction following the medication.

"I was informed that incorrect saline was injected to a patient in the male ward. I rushed to the patient and found that the injections had been exchanged. However, both are high antibiotics with the same configuration and of the same group. There is nothing to fear as both the patients won't develop any side effects following administration of the drugs. Nevertheless, the truth behind the faux pass can be ascertained from the health worker who administered the injections," duty doctor C Marndi at the emergency ward, told Odisha tv.

Dr Mahendra Kumar Nayak, superintendent of BBMCH said that he was aware of the incident and assured that an investigation would be conducted on the issue.

As per a recent Orissa Post report, the other patients and attendants of the patients were in a state of panic after the incident. They were apprehensive that the negligence by the health workers could cause death, for which the hospital officials would be solely responsible. They also demanded strict action to be taken against the responsible healthcare worker, adds Orissa post.

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