KANNUR: An eight-month-old baby boy is in critical condition after being given the wrong medication by a pharmacy at Pazhayangadi. Muhammed, son of Sameer, a local resident, suffered severe health complications due to an alleged overdose resulting from the pharmacy’s mistake.
According to the complaint, the pharmacy staff provided medication in drop form instead of the prescribed syrup for fever. Unaware of the substitution, the parents administered the drops in the same dosage as the syrup, unintentionally giving the baby an excessive amount.
Medical reports indicate that the incorrect medication severely affected the function of the infant’s liver. Soon after taking the medicine, the child’s health deteriorated.
Alarmed by the sudden change in his condition, the parents contacted the doctor who had prescribed the medicine. It was only then that they realised the medication had been switched. Following the doctor’s advice, the child was rushed to Kannur Aster MIMS Hospital.
Hospital authorities confirmed that while the baby’s condition remains critical, there has been slight improvement. “When the baby was brought here, his condition was at its worst. However, there has been a slight improvement. We are currently trying to stabilise his liver function with medication. However, we cannot be certain that Muhammed will continue to respond to the treatment. If he does not, the only remaining option will be a liver transplant,” said Dr Nandhakumar of Kannur Aster MIMS.
The child’s relatives claim they received a hostile response from the medical store employee when they questioned them about the medication error. According to them, when they confronted the pharmacy, the employee dismissed their concerns and told them to “go ahead and file a case” instead of addressing the issue.
Following the formal complaint, the Pazhayangadi police have registered a case against Khadija Medicals, the pharmacy responsible for dispensing the wrong medication, and have launched a probe.
Pazhayangadi police confirmed that the pharmacy did, in fact, provide the wrong medication to Sameer’s child. “It is clear that the pharmacy staff gave a different medicine than what was prescribed. We have initiated a formal investigation,” said a police officer.