Chichaiguda: In yet another incident of irresponsible healthcare, a four-month-old baby became critical after a needle got stuck in his muscle while an untrained worker was vaccinating him in Kalahandi district.
The needle was removed after a surgery on the baby at the district headquarters hospital Saturday, four days after his vaccination. The incident created a furor in the area.
According to sources, Ishwari Lahajal of Deundi village in Junagarh block of Kalahandi district had taken his four-month-old boy to a nearby ANM sub-centre in the locality for his vaccination Wednesday. As the ANM was absent in the health centre, an untrained health worker administered the injection to him.
However, in the process, the needle broke down and the upper half of the syringe got stuck in the baby’s muscle. However, neither the health worker nor the baby’s parents were aware of the matter.
The baby’s parents said, “He was crying inconsolably since the injection was administered to him. The wound swelled abnormally.”
After four days, the baby was brought to Junagarh health centre where doctors diagnosed the problem and prescribed a surgery. Later, the baby was shifted to the district headquarters hospital at Bhawanipatna for the surgery where the needle was operated out. Condition of the baby was stable, the hospital sources said.
The baby’s parents alleged that a doctor in the DHQ hospital asked for Rs 2,000 as bribe to conduct the surgery. When some media persons got to know about it, the latter apprised the chief district medical officer (CDMO) of the matter. The surgery was later conducted on the intervention of the CDMO.
Meanwhile, residents of the area demanded stringent action against the ANM and the health worker. PNNa
