Patient given fruit juice, instead of platelets; dies

Doctors and hospitals are known to prescribe or give fruit juice to patients, for their quick recovery. However, a dengue patient lost his life after he was given fruit juice at a private hospital.

Those in-charge of the patient probably did not know that fruit juice has to be consumed orally and is not to be given intra-venous. Pradeep Pandey, the dengue patient was given fruit juice, intra-venous, instead of platelets, at a hospital in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh on Thursday.

A video, detailing the incidence, went viral on social media, leading to quick action by the district administration. Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak ordered the sealing of the hospital.

According to Saurabh Mishra, the owner of the private hospital, claimed that since the patient's platelets level dropped to 17,000, his relatives were asked to arrange blood platelets for him. “They brought five units of platelets from SRN Hospital. After a transfusion of three units, the patient had a reaction. So, we stopped it (the transfusion),” Mishra said.

The patient was then shifted to another hospital, but died there as his condition worsened, officials said.

As the platelet packets had the sticker of SRN hospital on them, Mishra requested a thorough tracing of their origin along with examining of the platelets.

Pathak tweeted, “Taking cognisance of the viral video at the hospital where a dengue patient was transfused with sweet lemon juice instead of platelets, on my directive the hospital was sealed and the platelet packets have been sent for testing.

“If found guilty, strict action will be taken against the hospital,” the Deputy CM said.

District Magistrate Sanjay Kumar Khatri said, “An inquiry is underway and the platelets will also be tested.”

Meanwhile, in another incident came to light, where a ten-member gang was caught selling spurious platelets to patients, was apprehended on Friday.

Senior Superintendent of Police Shailesh Kumar Pandey said the accused used to collect plasma from different blood banks and then sell the plasma as platelets. As soon as there was a hint about the spurious platelet pouches that were seized from the belongings of the accused, the arrests were made.

When asked about the case pertaining to the sealing of a private hospital on Thursday for allegedly transfusing fruit juice instead of blood platelets to a dengue patient who later died, he said, “During the course of interrogation, it has not been confirmed whether it was a fruit juice in the pouch or something else” “These people sell plasma as platelets. A sample is being sent to a laboratory and a correct picture will emerge only after an examination,” the SP said.