Kolkata, 26 October (H.S.) :

A four-member inquiry committee has been constituted to investigate the death of an 11-year-old boy at the Kolkata Medical College, following serious allegations of medical negligence. The family of the deceased, Pawan Yadav, alleged that the child died immediately after being administered an injection at the hospital. However, a section of doctors maintains that giving a 'Rantac IM' injection was standard medical procedure based on the boy's symptoms, claiming that the patient went into sudden shock after the injection and died of a cardiac arrest.

The 11-year-old boy, a resident of Sankrail (Andul) in Howrah, was admitted to the Mother and Child Hub of the medical college at around 10:00 AM on Sunday following complaints of stomach ache. The family claims that the boy passed away within just an hour and a half of being admitted. Alleging incorrect treatment, outraged relatives staged a massive protest, leading to severe tension on the hospital campus on Sunday afternoon.

Given the gravity of the situation, a four-member probe committee has been formed. Headed by Prof. Rakesh Mandal of the Pediatrics Department, the panel includes Dr. Sujoy Moitra (Head of Pediatric Surgery), Dr. Imran Ahmed (Cardiology), and Dr. Sanjay Mandal (Medicine). The committee has been instructed to submit its findings at the earliest.

On Monday, a relative of the deceased alleged, The child was given three injections right in front of us, but the hospital administration is claiming that only two were administered. Defending their line of treatment, the junior doctors associated with the case explained that the child was initially given a 'Drotin' injection to alleviate the stomach pain. The intern on duty at the pediatric ward also considered giving 'Pantoprazole', an antacid. However, since the medicine was out of stock and the family was taking time to procure it from outside, a 'Rantac IM' injection was given as an alternative.

The junior doctors stated that they had planned to conduct an X-ray once the pain subsided, but they did not get the opportunity as the patient's condition deteriorated rapidly. Responding to the deceased's father Naresh Yadav, who questioned the absence of a senior doctor in the pediatric ward, the junior doctors clarified that a senior resident had rushed to the emergency department with a portable ventilator to stabilize another critical patient. Pawan tragically passed away during this brief window.

A fourth-grade student, Pawan had come to visit his maternal uncle's house on College Street, where he first experienced the abdominal pain. The family emphasized that the boy had walked into the hospital on his own feet, raising questions about how a minor stomach ache could lead to sudden death.

Upon receiving news of the incident, Health Minister Saradwat Mukhopadhyay and Jorasanko MLA Vijay Ojha arrived at the Kolkata Medical College. They met with the grieving family members and assured them of a completely impartial investigation, paving the way for the immediate formation of the inquiry committee.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh