Bhubaneswar: In what could be termed as gross medical negligence, a four-year-old girl suffering from minor allergies was allegedly administered an anti-rabies vaccine (ARV) despite having no history of a dog bite. The girl was taken to the hospital on July 29, but instead of being treated for the allergies, she was given the ARV injection, which allegedly led to adverse reactions
The incident took place at Bonai Sub-Divisional Hospital (SDH). The matter came to the fore after the girl’s parents complained about the alleged medical negligence.
According to the allegations, the girl’s parents, who are residents of Koida, rushed their daughter to Bonai SDH on July 29 after she developed some allergies. Surprisingly, the paediatrician prescribed an anti-rabies vaccine (ARV). When the mother, Chinmayee Jena, visited the hospital’s pharmacy, she was asked about a potential dog bite, which she denied. Despite this, the medical staff proceeded to administer the ARV injection.
However, the girl developed widespread allergic reactions and fever after returning from the hospital. When the victim’s parents revisited the doctor, the latter re-examined the prescription and purportedly tore it up. He reportedly wrote a new one, revealing a potential medication error.
“I took my daughter back to the doctor, and to my shock, he tore up the prescription, admitting it was a mistake. But then he tried to downplay it, claiming the injection was just a routine immunisation, not ARV. And what’s worse, he even suggested we complete the course with two more doses! Can you imagine? My daughter’s health is at risk, and he’s talking about giving her more injections? If something goes terribly wrong, will I even get my daughter back?” said the victim’s mother, Chinmayee Jena.
When contacted, Bonai SDH’s Hospital Superintendent Manoj Kumar Pati stated, “I’ve just been informed about the incident, and I will order a thorough inquiry into it. Regarding the vaccine, I want to assure you that it’s safe, and the child is unlikely to experience any severe adverse effects.”
