TV
Five critically ill patients died within a span of a few hours late Tuesday night at the Saheed Laxman Nayak Medical College and Hospital in Koraput after allegedly being administered the wrong injection by hospital staff.
Reports stated that the deceased patients hailed from various parts of south Odisha, including Koraput, Borigumma, Semiliguda, Malkangiri, and Kalahandi and all of them had been admitted to the ICU and surgical wards for post-operative care and critical monitoring.
At around 11 pm on Tuesday, three patients admitted to the ICU and two others being treated in general surgery beds died in quick succession. Hospital staff reportedly administered a second round of injections to the patients shortly before their deaths, according to their families.
Families Allege Medical Negligence
Distraught family members of the deceased have accused the hospital staff of gross negligence, claiming the patients were stable after surgery, but their health condition started deteriorating rapidly following the second injection dose.
They insist the injections were administered twice within a short period and believe the medication may have been improperly prescribed or incorrectly dosed.
“A nurse came late at night and began administering injections to three patients on our left before injecting the same to my sister. Within minutes, she started trembling, and by the time doctors came to check on her, she was dead,” stated a relative of a deceased patient.
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Police Intervention and Post-Mortem Investigation
As news of the deaths spread, tension gripped the hospital premises. The Koraput Town Police were quickly deployed to the hospital to prevent any untoward incident.
Reports added that police have since taken possession of the bodies and sent them for post-mortem examinations to ascertain the exact cause of death.
Hospital Administration Silent
Despite the scale of the tragedy, hospital authorities have yet to issue a formal statement clarifying the cause of the deaths or addressing the allegations of wrong medical procedure. The lack of transparency has only fuelled public outrage, with many pointing to a pattern of administrative apathy at the institution.
In recent months, the hospital has faced criticism for inadequate staffing, poor hygiene, and erratic medical practices. Tuesday night’s incident has further tarnished the reputation of one of South Odisha’s key tertiary care facilities.
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Meanwhile, as families await the post-mortem reports, public pressure is mounting on the district administration and the state health department to initiate a thorough inquiry into the matter, but no statements have been released so far by the concerned authorities.
Later in the day, sources reported that one more person died after being under treatment and having allegedly been administered the wrong injection.
