Formalin instead of flushing solution: 2 AIIMS Bhopal nurses booked in 3-year-old's death case
Drug
Bhopal: Following the death of a three-year-old boy undergoing treatment for blood cancer at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Bhopal, two nursing officers have been booked in an alleged case of medical negligence involving the administration of formalin instead of a flushing solution.
The incident reportedly occurred in December 2025 but came to light only after an internal investigation by the institute, which reportedly led to the registration of an FIR. The child was receiving treatment for fever while suffering from B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (B-ALL) at the time.
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According to news reports, the nurse had brought formalin into the ward in a syringe for a scheduled bone marrow biopsy procedure. However, when the procedure was postponed, the syringe was allegedly left unattended near the child’s bed instead of being properly secured or discarded.
On December 17, when the child's intravenous (IV) line became blocked, a nursing officer reportedly mistook the syringe containing formalin for a flushing solution and injected it into the IV line without verifying its contents.
The FIR stated that the child’s father repeatedly warned the nursing staff that the syringe did not contain flushing fluid. However, the warnings were allegedly ignored. The child’s condition deteriorated rapidly, and he was immediately shifted to the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), where he was declared dead after emergency resuscitation efforts failed.
An internal inquiry by AIIMS Bhopal reportedly concluded that the administration of formalin directly led to the child’s death. The probe also pointed to serious lapses in the handling and storage of hazardous chemicals within the ward.
Based on the findings, police registered an FIR against two nursing officers under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita related to causing death by negligence and negligent handling of hazardous substances. Both staff members have reportedly been suspended pending further investigation, according to News 18.
Speaking to the Hitavada, Bagsewaniya Police Station In-charge Amit Soni stated that multiple police teams have been deployed to apprehend the two absconding nursing officers, and investigators are actively questioning the hospital’s nursing administration regarding their whereabouts.
Formalin, a solution of formaldehyde, is commonly used to preserve biological specimens but is highly toxic if introduced into the human body.
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