Wrong blood transfusion at Bikaner hospital prompts inquiry

A 75-year-old woman’s condition worsened after allegedly receiving the wrong blood group during transfusion at PBM Hospital’s cancer wing in Bikaner. The error was caught in time, emergency treatment stabilised her, and hospital authorities have ordered an inquiry

Jaipur: A 75-year-old woman patient was allegedly given the wrong blood group at the Acharya Tulsi cancer wing of PBM Hospital in Rajasthan’s Bikaner, causing her condition to deteriorate suddenly. The hospital administration has ordered an inquiry into the incident.

The patient’s condition stabilised after emergency treatment, doctors said.

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According to hospital sources, the patient, Bhawani Devi, was admitted due to severe anaemia and was undergoing blood transfusion on Wednesday evening when a unit of an incompatible blood group was allegedly transfused.

Family members said the first unit of blood was transfused to Bhawani Devi, whose blood group is A positive, without incident. But a second unit of B positive blood was allegedly supplied by the blood bank, which was transfused without proper cross-checking by the nursing staff present in the cancer wing.

The error came to light when a relative noticed the blood group written on the unit during transfusion and immediately alerted the nursing staff and doctors. The transfusion was stopped and emergency treatment was initiated, following which the patient’s condition stabilised, they said.

The incident was reported to the principal of Sardar Patel Medical College, Dr Surendra Verma, who visited the cancer wing along with the head of the department to review the situation.

“The patient is absolutely stable at present. Her haemoglobin level was severely low due to which blood transfusion was being given at night. Some issue arose during the transfusion process,” Verma said.

He said a committee would be constituted to investigate the matter and ascertain where the lapse occurred. “Strict action will be taken against anyone found guilty in the inquiry,” he added.

Hospital authorities said further action would be based on the findings of the probe.