3 Children Die Due to Wrong Injections at DHQ Hospital

Three minor children tragically passed away allegedly due to a reaction to antibiotic injections at Khanewal’s DHQ Hospital on Tuesday.

The parents of the deceased children—six-month-old Dua Fatima, 18-month-old Ayan, and three-year-old Ramzan—shared with the media that they had taken their children to the hospital for treatment of chest infection and influenza. Sadly, all three children succumbed after receiving antibiotic injections.

District Health Authority CEO Dr. Ghouri mentioned that an investigation into the composition of the injections is underway. Hospital doctors asserted that the children were in critical condition upon admission, which they attribute to their demise, denying any negligence.

Abbas, the father of Ramzan, claimed that the hospital released the bodies of all three children without conducting autopsies. He expressed frustration over the doctors’ refusal to perform an autopsy on his son despite his repeated requests.

In response to the incident, police have arrested duty in-charge nurse Aqsa Afaaq in connection with the deaths of the three children allegedly due to the administration of incorrect injections at DHQ Hospital. The arrest sparked vehement protests from medical staff who argued that the hospital administration was scapegoating nurses to conceal their shortcomings. They highlighted that the pediatric ward doctor was absent during the incident, and due to staff shortages, one nurse had to attend to over 30 patients instead of the recommended four.

Protesters demanded the immediate release of Aqsa Afaaq, warning of potential work stoppages by paramedical staff across government hospitals in the district if their demands are not met.

Earlier, Deputy Commissioner M. Ali Bokhari visited the hospital late Wednesday night to inquire about the deaths of the CEO of DHA and the Medical Superintendent. He ordered the seizure of all stocks of Ceftraxon injections for laboratory testing.

It is important to note that the three children passed away after receiving injections while they were suffering from fever.