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Sunday, Sep 19, 2010
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Three die after injections in PHC, government hospital

Jeevan Chinnappa

One of the patients being treated at the district hospital in Madikeri on Saturday.

Madikeri: Three persons died and several others were taken ill on Saturday after they were given injections at a public health centre (PHC) in Sunticoppa and a government hospital in Kushalnagar in Kodagu district.

Initial inquiries by authorities revealed that patients with fever and stomach disorder were given a paracetamol injection at the PHC. When their condition turned serious, they were shifted to the district hospital in Madikeri where two of them died. There is, however, no confirmation of reports that expired drugs were used. Suspected drug anaphylaxis could be the reason for the deaths, District Health Officer Shivaram Naik told The Hindu.

The persons who died at the district hospital are Susheela (57) from Kedakkal near Sunticoppa, and Moidu (66), a resident of Pumphouse in Sunticoppa town. They were among the 11 persons treated at the Sunticoppa PHC in the morning and later shifted to the district hospital with five others.

The third victim, Sarita (25), from Nehru Extension in Kushalnagar, is said to have died immediately after being administered an injection for fever and stomach ache at the Kushalnagar hospital. The injection was bought at a medical store in the town.

News of the deaths spread fast leading to protests and demonstrations in the vicinity of the two hospitals. People gathered in large numbers at the Sunticoppa PHC and at the Kushalnagar hospital. Timely intervention by the district authorities prevented the situation from getting out of hand.

Mr. Naik said experts from the State Drugs Control Department were on the way to Madikeri. The entire batch of medicines administered to the patients has been seized. Incidentally, the same injections were given to several patients on Friday, but no complications were reported. In Bangalore, Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa expressed shock over the deaths and offered his condolences to the families of the dead. The State Government has announced a compensation of Rs. 1 lakh to the kin of the dead as relief and Rs. 10,000 for the treatment of those admitted in the district hospital here.

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