Woman dies, three on ventilator after suspected injection reaction at Mayo Hospital

• Shot administered without prior lab testing, hospital sources reveal.
• Use of injection stopped; inquiry committee formed to investigate.
• Prof Dr Israr-ul-Haq leads committee; official notification issued.
  

LAHORE: A female patient receiving treatment at Mayo Hospital died and 15 others suffered adverse reactions allegedly due to an injection administered at the Chest Ward of the medical facility.

Three of the affected patients have reportedly been put on ventilators, hospital authorities said on Monday.

Hospital sources revealed that no lab testing was conducted before administering the injection to patients. 

In response to the incident, the hospital administration halted the use of the injection and formed an inquiry committee to investigate the matter.

A notification has been issued for the appointment of Professor Dr Israr-ul-Haq as the head of the inquiry committee. 

The committee also includes the chief pharmacist, deputy nursing officer, and AMS of the hospital. Meanwhile, the hospital administration has directed that all remaining stock of the injection be immediately returned to the pharmacy.

The hospital clarified that the injection was not expired and had been supplied through the Punjab government in 2024.

It may be noted that Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz had recently taken an action against mismanagement at Mayo Hospital Lahore.

As per a report published in The News, Punjab Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique said that despite the fact that the facility had ample stock of syringes, bernals and other disposables, patients were being asked medicines from outside the hospital. 

Moreover, the pathology lab had all kinds of test facilities, but patients were being asked to get tested from outside.

Mayo Hospital had its own budget of one and a half billion rupees. The Department of Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education purchased additional medicines worth Rs220 million from its top-up stock for Mayo Hospital. The Health Department on Saturday again gave Rs340 million to Mayo Hospital for medicine purchase.

The hospital had 150 million rupees in UHI and 190 million rupees in PLA account, despite which medicines were not purchased. Mayo Hospital chief executive officer Prof Ahsan Noman and medical superintendent Prof Faisal Masood were removed from their posts due to their incompetence. 

“Not even one percent negligence in the treatment of patients will be tolerated in any government hospital,” the minister said.