Inquiry Ordered After Vashi NMMC Hospital Gives Patient Expired IV Fluid

A 50-year-old patient has been placed on ventilator support at a private facility after allegedly receiving expired intravenous fluid at the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation hospital in Vashi, prompting civic authorities to initiate an inquiry.

The patient, Gopiram Khadse, was transferred to Fortis Hospital in Vashi after his condition turned critical three days following the administration of the expired IV fluid at the civic hospital. Municipal authorities have since announced an investigation into how the expired vial was dispensed and administered.

NMMC health committee chairperson Dr Jayaji Nath stated that any adverse reactions or complications arising directly from expired IV fluid would typically manifest within 30 minutes. He noted that Khadse's blood tests confirmed that he is suffering from a dual infection of dengue and falciparum malaria, alongside pre-existing diabetes and hypertension.

According to Dr Nath, civic officials cannot rule out that the patient's critical condition is the result of these severe ailments rather than the IV fluid. However, he confirmed that the civic body's inquiry will examine the conduct and responsibilities of the attending doctors, nursing staff, and medical store personnel who were tasked with verifying the expiration dates of medical supplies before use.

The patient's family has disputed the administration's stance. Khadse's son, Ajay Khadse, staged a protest alongside Bajrang Dal activists inside the office of NMMC medical superintendent Ravindra Mhatre.

Ajay Khadse maintained that the expired IV fluid caused his father's health to deteriorate rapidly. Demanding strict accountability and action against staff at NMMC Hospital for medical negligence, he said the family's immediate priority is ensuring his father receives proper intensive care treatment at Fortis Hospital to aid his recovery.