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6 year-old patient administered expired injection in Kashmir hospital

Authorities are trying to brush a case of medical negligence under the carpet in which a young patient’s medical condition seriously suffered after being subject to alleged expired injections in southern Kashmir’s Shopian district. Even though the administration of hospital has accepted their mistake, the responsible people have only been punished with a fine of two days of their salary.

Bazila Iqbal is a 6-year-old daughter of Mohammad Iqbal Katari of Devpora, Shopian. She was admitted to the District Hospital Shopian after showing symptoms of “pneumonia” earlier this week. Dr Ramesh Kumar Malla, Chief Medical Officer in Shopian said that the child was injected four times with ‘Monocef ‘drug. Kid was administered the injection even though it had an expiry date of October 2020.

Her father said that she was given an expired injection for the past four days. When they checked its expiry date then they found that the injection which was given to his daughter has already expired on October 20, 2020.

Deputy Commissioner Sachin Kumar Vaishya visited the hospital on Saturday as the issue made headlines. He ordered the CMO to conduct an inquiry and file a report. The report confirmed allegations that concerned medical superintendent and medical authorities shown medical negligence.

DC said that district hospital authorities have shown medical negligence. The medical superintendent has responsibility to ensure that medicines which are administered to the admitted patient are not expired or have any other problem. The medical superintendent has not taken any strict action against the negligent staff and it speaks a lot about laxity of the hospital administration.

In place of taking strict action and setting an example for future, the administration only punished them with a mere fine of two days of their salary. The DC imposed a fine on the Medical Superintendent of District Hospital Shopian, Dr Mohammed Ismail, medical officers Mohammad Yaseen and Zubair Ahmad of two days salary.

The order directs BMO Shopian to submit a comprehensive report regarding role of the nurse who was in-charge of SNCU on that day namely Roziya Mushtaq. The order further mentions the fine of two days salary on the staff nurses namely Sheema, Zulfi, Sabi Jan, Ulfat Jan, and Rubina Akhter each.

Sale of expired drugs is included in criminal offences under the Indian Penal Code as well as the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940. Those who are found to be involved in selling expired medicines can be booked under IPC sections and can be jailed for up to two years. Authorities have only been given a warning and a meagre fine has been imposed on authorities in this case.

The CMO said that patient’s condition has stabilised. If she needs any further medical assistance then those needs will be looked after by the hospital.