Elderly Patient Receives Incorrect Blood in Bikaner Hospital
In a shocking incident of medical negligence, a 75-year-old woman admitted to PMB Hospital in Bikaner was transfused with the wrong blood type on Wednesday. This marks the fifth such case reported in Rajasthan government hospitals in nearly two years, raising severe concerns about patient safety protocols.
The elderly patient, whose blood group is A+, was erroneously administered B+ blood. The critical error was first spotted by the patient's vigilant family members, who immediately alerted the nursing staff and doctors on duty.
Timely Intervention Prevents Disaster
Following the alarm raised by the family, the transfusion was halted instantly. The medical team provided emergency treatment to the woman, whose condition had begun to deteriorate rapidly after receiving the incompatible blood.
Dr. Surendra Kumar Verma, the principal of SP Medical College which administers PMB Hospital, confirmed the sequence of events. "Our timely intervention prevented the patient's condition from deteriorating further. She received emergency care and her condition is now stable," Dr. Verma stated.
He acknowledged the gravity of the mistake, calling it a serious act of negligence. The hospital authorities have initiated a probe to determine how the protocol failure occurred.
Committee Formed, Action Promised
In response to the incident, the hospital administration has constituted a committee to investigate the lapse. The committee is expected to submit its findings within three days.
Dr. Verma assured that strict action would be taken against the personnel found responsible for the error. This assurance comes against a backdrop of repeated similar incidents in the state's premier government hospitals.
Previously, cases of wrong blood transfusion have been reported from other major facilities, including Jaipur's SMS Hospital and JK Lon Hospital. The recurrence of such life-threatening errors points to systemic flaws in blood bank management and transfusion procedures.
The latest incident in Bikaner underscores an urgent need for:
- Stricter verification processes before administering blood.
- Enhanced training for staff handling blood products.
- Accountability mechanisms to prevent recurrence.
As the committee investigates this specific case, the broader issue of patient safety in Rajasthan's public healthcare system demands immediate and comprehensive review.
