Bhandaripokhari: An elderly man suffering from fever and having severe body ache was wrongly given anti-rabies shot instead of painkiller in community health centre (CHC) at Bhandaripokhari in Bhadrak.
The patient’s family today demanded a probe into the incident and action against the wrongdoer.
“This is a gross negligence on part of the government hospital authorities,” the victim’s family alleged.
According to a source, the patient identified as 56-year-old Bijaya Biswal was previously admitted to the CHC for treatment after he suffered from fever. He hails from Dakshinabada village in the district.
A doctor in the health facility prescribed him to take ‘Diclofenac’ to get relief from body ache. However, an on-duty nurse gave her anti-rabies shot instead. After knowing this, the patient and his family asked about it to the nurse. Fearing an administrative action and ire of the patient’s attendants, the nurse fled from the spot along with the prescription. Bijaya was again admitted to the CHC by the family.
On being informed, a team of Bhandaripokhari police reached the hospital and initiated a probe.
When contacted, the CHC in-charge Dr. Kamalakanta Swain said, “An on-duty nurse wrongly gave ARV to a patient. However, ARV is a preventive vaccine and usually it does not show side-effects. There is no chance of the vaccine causing any harm to the patient in future. We will certainly issue a show-cause notice to the nurse concerned. Condition of the patient is normal now and no side-effect of the ARV was detected in him. We will be careful henceforth and such minor mistakes will not occur anymore.”
