Infant deaths due to medical negligence has become common in the Telugu states. More than 24 hours after two infants died in Hyderabad due to wrong medication, the local police is gearing up to conduct a proper investigation into the incident. Around 92 infants were administered vaccination in Urban Primary Health Centre in Nampally on Wednesday.
It is believed that the staff handed over painkiller, Tramadol to the parents, instead of paracetamol, which is used to control fever that is a common after-effect of vaccination. By Thursday morning, the parents who gave the wrong medicine to their children unknowingly, rushed them to government and private hospitals after their health started deteriorating. The Habeebnagar police, under whose jurisdiction the Primary Health Centre falls under, has registered a case for causing due to negligence.
“We will also start our probe soon. We were busy trying to bring the situation under control. Since the health department is also conducting an inquiry, we will wait for that,” said Habeebnagar police inspector, T. Amruth Reddy.
Meanwhile, all the 33 infants admitted in Niloufer government hospital are out of danger, according to authorities. Ventilator support was taken off for three infants whose condition improved. Doctors at Niloufer hospital informed that the infants were admitted with health conditions ranging from rashes to breathing problems and they were immediately attended to.
“It looks like there was some confusion because of similar packaging and Tramadol was given to the parents by mistake. Tramadol is a painkiller which is given to only adult patients. Nowadays, its usage has come down as doctors are increasingly opting for alternatives of this medicine,” said L. Prasad, Resident Medical Officer of Niloufer hospital.
With angry family members of the patients assembling at Niloufer and the Primary Health Centre demanding justice, a number of policemen were deployed out at the hospitals. The district medical and health officer, Hyderabad initiated a probe into the incident based on the instructions of Health Minister E. Rajender.
