DC directs MS to probe incident, ensure accountability
Pulwama, Oct 04: In a shocking instance of negligence, a young female patient at the District Hospital Pulwama was allegedly administered an expired intravenous (IV) fluid on Saturday, triggering outrage among attendants and raising serious questions over hospital safety protocols.
The videos being circulating on social media shows a 500ml Dextrose Normal Saline (DNS) bag being connected to the patient’s drip line inside a crowded ward. The footage recorded in real-time captures a healthcare worker preparing and inserting the IV line while the patient lay on a hospital bed.
The label on the fluid bag indicates a manufacturing date of June 2023 and an expiry date of May 2025. The attendants alleged that the packet appeared discoloured prompting suspicion that it was either expired or improperly stored.
The video went viral. The incident draws public criticism and concerns over the hospital’s handling of medical supplies and quality control measures.
According to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), Deputy Commissioner Pulwama, Dr. Basharat Qayoom, while taking serious note of the incident, has directed the Medical Superintendent (MS) of the hospital to initiate a detailed inquiry into the matter. “An immediate probe has been ordered to ascertain the facts and ensure accountability. Strict action will follow based on the findings,” he said.
The incident has sparked concern among locals and patients’ families, who have urged the authorities to strengthen monitoring mechanisms and ensure regular inspection of medical supplies.
“This should serve as a wake-up call. Patients’ lives are at stake, and such negligence cannot be tolerated,” a local social activist said
Notably using expired IV fluids can lead to serious complications, including infection, phlebitis (vein inflammation), infiltration (fluid leaking into surrounding tissue), and potentially life-threatening reactions like septic shock or severe tissue damage leading to necrosis.
Other risks involve extravasation (leaking of irritating solutions), which can cause tissue death and nerve damage, and hypersensitivity reactions to degraded components within the expired fluid—(KNO)
