Fever shots cause adverse reaction in 28 patients

FDA REPORTS AWAITED

MUMBAI: More than 20 patients at KB Bhabha Hospital in Kurla developed convulsions, nausea and breathlessness after they were administered an injection on Monday night. The 28 women were then shifted to Sion Hospital and KEM Hospital in Parel. The food and drugs administration (FDA) is investigating the incident and the remaining stock of the medicines has been sealed.

The patients were admitted to the women’s medical ward of the hospital with complaints of fever accompanied by vomiting and chills.

All the women were administered ceftriaxone and cefotaxime injections intravenously on Monday night around 9.30pm. Soon after the injections were administered, the women developed convulsions, breathlessness, nausea and giddiness.

Of the 28 patients, 13 were taken to Sion Hospital and 28 patients admitted to the women’s medical ward at KB Bhabha Hospital, Kurla were administered ceftriaxone and cefotaxime injections intravenously for fever on Monday at 9.30pm

15 to KEM Hospital. All the patients, barring one admitted to KEM Hospital, are in stable condition. A 47-year-old patient, Saira, is admitted in the medicine intensive care unit (MICU) at KEM and is on a ventilator and reported to be in critical condition, according to the dean of the hospital Dr Shubhangi Parkar.

“My wife is eight-months pregnant and I had just taken her for a check-up because she had developed fever and chills. Of the 28 patients, 13 were taken to Sion Hospital and 15 to KEM Hospital

However, we were advised to admit her, which we did on Sunday night. Her condition was stable till the time she was given the injection,” said Imamuddin Shaikh, husband of one of the patients Rubina Shaikh, who is recuperating in Sion Hospital.

“We reached Sion Hospital around 1.30am and got a bed only at 3.00am. There were more than two women in one ambulance,” said Rubina.

“The patients were not injected with uncommon drugs. We routinely administer the injec tion to patients with fever and related symptoms. We have informed all the authorities concerned and they are tak ing appropriate action,” said Dr Vidya Thakur, in-charge of hospital, eastern suburbs.

Following the incident, KB Bhabha Hospital immediately informed the analytical lab of the Brihanmumbai Municipa Corporation (BMC) and the food and drug administration (FDA).

The hospital also stopped the batch of injections were used immediately. The FDA collected samples from the hospital and sealed the remaining stock.

“We have sent the samples for further investigation to our lab. We have ensured that the batch is not sold anywhere in the city and a stop batch order has been issued,” said joint commissioner vigilance, FDA

The Kurla police also recorded the statement of the patients.