A second patient has died following a severe reaction to an injection administered at Lahore’s Mayo Hospital. The incident has raised concerns about the hospital’s procedures and the quality of medications used.
Incident Details:
On Sunday, March 9, 2025, 16 patients in the Chest Surgery Ward received an antibiotic injection intended to treat bacterial lung infections. Shortly after administration, patients experienced adverse reactions, including shivering, high fever, and difficulty breathing.
A 31-year-old woman was the first to succumb to the reaction, followed by 28-year-old Daulat Khan from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Monday. Currently, 14 other patients are affected, with three in critical condition on ventilators.
Investigation and Immediate Actions:
The hospital administration has suspended the use of the implicated injection and formed an inquiry committee led by Professor Dr. Israr-ul-Haq to investigate the cause of the reactions.
Preliminary reports suggest that the adverse reactions may have resulted from improper preparation of the injection solution. Specifically, it is suspected that on-duty nurses mixed the antibiotic Ceftriaxone with solutions containing calcium gluconate, leading to a potentially fatal precipitate.
