KOZHIKODE: Three persons, including a doctor and nurse, were arrested in connection with the death of a boy following an injection for fever and cough. The arrested are Salavudheen TP, pediatrician and MD of Nucleus Healthcare, his managing partner Rasheed and nurse Shani.
The 11-year-old Thej Dev, son of Rajeesh of Kunnummal grama panchayat, who was taken to the hospital at 11 am on February 14, died after he was administered an injection at Nucleus Healthcare, Nadapuram.
Parents complained that the full dose injection was given in less than half an hour of observation period since the test dose was administered. Also, when the child was taken in an ambulance to another hospital in Thalassery, the parents were not allowed to accompany the child.
An action committee has been formed at panchayat level and they expressed the protest against medical negligence of the hospital. The family sent a complaint to the human rights commission, Kozhikode Rural SP, District Collector and Health Department. Nadapuram police had registered a case against the hospital authorities for unnatural death.
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An investigation by the medical board, chaired by the district medical officer (DMO), found that the hospital made mistakes in the case. Nurse Shani was found to be inadequately qualified and did not obtain parental consent before the second shot of injection was given. Police said the doctor and managing partner were arrested on Monday for hiring a non-qualified Shani. The case was investigated by the Nadapuram DySP and the accused have been charged under IPC 304 (a) for causing death by negligence. The accused were released on bail.