A dengue patient in India's northern Uttar Pradesh state died after he was allegedly administered fruit juice instead of blood platelets.
Pradeep Pandey, 32, was transfused with sweet lemon juice and chemicals in a blood pack by the private hospital, his family has alleged.
After Pandey’s condition started deteriorating, he was shifted to another hospital where he died. Doctors at the second hospital informed Pandey’s relatives that the platelet bag was fake and instead, contained juice.
As the video of the fake “platelet bag” went viral on social media, Uttar Pradesh deputy chief minister Brajesh Pathak ordered that Global Hospital and Trauma Centre — the private hospital in Prayagraj city where the incident took place — be sealed.
“...on my directive, the hospital was sealed and the platelet packets have been sent for testing,” Mr Pathak said on Thursday. “If found guilty, strict action will be taken against the hospital.”
Saurabh Mishra, the owner of the private hospital, said the platelets were brought from a different medical facility.
The patient’s family was asked to arrange blood platelets after his platelet count dropped to 17,000, Mr Mishra told news agency Press Trust of India. He added that Pandey had a reaction after three units of the “platelets” were transfused.
“They brought five units of platelets from SRN Hospital. After the transfusion of three units, the patient had a reaction. So we stopped it,” he said, adding that the platelets’ origin should be traced because they had the sticker of SRN hospital on them.
Pandey fell sick on 14 October and was admitted to the private hospital where he was told he was suffering from dengue, his brother-in-law Saurabh Tripathi said.
“We were told he has dengue after tests were done. On October 16, we were told that he needed eight units of platelets. We managed to arrange three units from within the family,” Mr Tripathi told The Indian Express .
He allegedly got in touch with the hospital building owner’s son and paid him Rs 25,000 (£270) for five units.
“When the four units of platelets were given to my brother-in-law, his condition worsened. Then we took him to another private hospital. The doctors there said there was some blood clotting in the body,” Mr Tripathi added.
Pandey died on 19 October.
A three-member panel has been formed by the government to probe the medical negligence while the hospital remained sealed.
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