4-year-old boy dies after alleged antibiotic injection at Palamu medical store, investigation underway
Medical Negligence
Daltonganj: A four-year-old boy died allegedly after being administered an antibiotic injection at a private drugs shop in Manatu block of Palamu district, prompting police to launch an investigation into the incident.
The deceased was a resident of Jaspur village and had reportedly been suffering from fever for the past two days.
According to the statement given by his father at the Medinirai Medical College and Hospital (MMCH) police outpost late Saturday night, the child was taken to a drugs store at Purana Bazar in Manatu, where a staff member allegedly administered an injection to the child.
The child's condition reportedly deteriorated immediately after the injection, and he started foaming at the mouth.
According to the father's statement, attempts were made to revive the child through cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). An oxygen cylinder arranged from another healthcare facility could not be used as it allegedly contained no medical oxygen.
The drug store owner subsequently rushed the child and his parents to the MMCH, around 45 km away. However, the child died on the way.
The father further alleged that the drug store owner left the vehicle midway. He also claimed that the prescription and the vial of the injection administered to his son were missing.
Speaking to TOI, Civil Surgeon Dr Anil Kumar Srivastava said, “The child was given an antibiotic intravenous injection. A skin prick test or pre-injection screening ought to have been done before administering the shot. The body was sent for post-mortem examination.”
The officer-in-charge of Manatu police station, Vicky Barnwal, said an inquiry had been launched. Authorities would verify the drug store owner's professional credentials and the licence status of his medical store. The drug inspector would also examine the case. Efforts were being made to identify the antibiotic administered to the child and recover the injection vial and syringe.
