A 24-year-old woman is battling for her life after allegedly receiving an incompatible blood transfusion at a Jodhpur hospital.
Dhapu, a resident of Dawra Baori village in Rajasthan's Jodhpur district, gave birth to a baby boy through a normal delivery on July 11.
Due to severe anaemia and other post-delivery complications, she was referred to Ummed Hospital the same day, where she received a transfusion of O-positive blood, matching her blood group.
However, during a second blood transfusion on the night of July 12, she was allegedly given B-positive blood instead.
Her family members alleged that Dhapu developed severe shivering immediately after the transfusion, and blood was noticed in her urine collection bag, indicating a possible transfusion reaction.
Her condition rapidly worsened, leading to kidney failure, cessation of urine output and bleeding, according to a report.
Following this, Dhapu was transferred to the MG Hospital, where she was admitted to the ICU.
MG Hospital superintendent Fateh Singh said the incompatible blood transfusion severely affected the patient's kidneys, causing urine output to stop.
"She is on continuous dialysis and her condition is gradually improving. She remains under close observation," he said.
Dhapu's husband Kishanaram claimed that the family was never informed that the referral to the MG Hospital was necessitated by an "incorrect" blood transfusion.
The first transfusion was carried out properly, but her health deteriorated immediately after the second.
"Nobody told us that she had been given the wrong blood," Kishanaram said, adding that the family has still not received a satisfactory explanation for her sudden deterioration.
Hospital sources suggested that the error may have occurred because two women admitted to the Ummed Hospital had identical names, while their husbands also shared the same name.
One patient had a B-positive blood group, resulting in an apparent mix-up during the transfusion process, the sources said.
SN Medical College principal B S Jodha said that an inquiry has been ordered into the incident, and strict action would be taken against those found guilty.
(With inputs from PTI)
