Thaindian News

Amravati (Maharashtra), May 12 (IANS) A female ward attendant of a government hospital here was dismissed from service Thursday, a day after seven patients of the maternity ward were accidentally administered phenyl due to her negligence, an official said.

“Seven women admitted in ward number six of the hospital were given phenyl last evening, following which they began vomiting and complained of stomach ache,” said C.L. Sonkusare, civil surgeon at the Amravati District Hospital.

Sonkusare said a three-member inquiry committee has been set up to look into the matter.

“I have dismissed the ward attendant and have sent a proposal to the deputy director of health services of Akola circle to suspend or dismiss the in-charge and the matron of the ward,” Sonkusare told IANS.

According to Sonkusare’s primary inquiry, the ward attendant had taken out two bottles of a multi-vitamin tonic from the ward cupboard Tuesday.

“On Tuesday, one of the two bottles was emptied after all the patients of the ward were administered the tonic. From what I understand, the attendant picked up the empty bottle from the dustbin, cleaned it and filled it up with phenyl to take it home,” he said.

“While leaving for the day, she put the bottle filled with phenyl inside the medicine cupboard and took home the other tonic bottle by mistake. This phenyl-filled bottle was mistakenly used last evening,” Sonkusare added.

Sonkusare said that this pilfering on the ward attendant’s part caused the incident.

The women had delivered babies recently and were to be discharged soon. However, all of them are safe and stable now, he said.