Family of deceased infant accuses medicos of negligence

Srinagar, Feb 16: Family of 45-day-old Junaid Dar on Friday protested against the alleged negligence of doctors that killed the infant at SKIMS Medical College Bemina.
As per the family, he was suffering a respiratory problem and was admitted to the hospital on February 2.
On February 15, he died after the injection given to him by the doctors that resulted in “negative reactions”.
Junaid’s father, Mushtaq Ahmad Dar, told The Kashmir Monitor that his son was showing “some positive signs of recovery” and the doctors were even planning to discharge him.
“However, at around 11:30 in the night, he was given the injection, which had a negative effect. At around 2 am, the doctors declared my son dead,” he said.
“He even vomited. The reaction of that injection was such that when I had held him in my hands after he was declared dead, I felt his neck was broken.”
The hospital hasn’t yet given the family the reason behind Junaid’s death.
Medical Superintendent SKIMS Medical College Bemina, Dr Shefa Deva, said, “It is not right to blame the hospital as yet.”
She said the case would be investigated.
“We have sent the samples to a forensic lab. We shall get the reports in three-four days and be subsequently able to tell what exactly happened,” she said.
However, the Principal, Dr Reyaz A Untoo, criticised the family for “diminishing the reputation” of the hospital just before the Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti, is scheduled to visit on Saturday.
“Pharmaco Toxin can cause a reaction. When the baby was admitted, he had a very severe underlying pneumonia. I don’t think there was any negligence shown by our doctors,” he said.
Apart from Junaid, four babies have developed similar reactions to the injection.
Three of them are undergoing treatment at the neonatal intensive care unit of SKIMS Bemina, while one was referred to SKIMS Soura for mechanical ventilation.