10-month-old boy in Nghe An dies after antibiotic injection

On the afternoon of November 17, the family brought the body of Nguyen Dang Kh. (10 months old) back to his hometown in Hoa Thanh commune (Yen Thanh district) for burial after he died at Nghe An Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital.

According to the hospital report, this child was admitted to the hospital 10 days ago and was diagnosed with severe pneumonia, sepsis, encephalitis - meningitis...

Nghe An Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital. Photo: Tien Hung

After many days of treatment, on the afternoon of November 16, the child was injected with the antibiotic Tobramycin on the third day and Rocephin on the first day. However, about 3 minutes after the injection, the child showed signs of cyanosis, rapid pulse, difficulty breathing, and purple spots all over the body.

Doctors treated him according to the anaphylactic shock protocol, injected adrenaline into the muscle, and squeezed oxygen through the endotracheal tube. At 1:30 a.m. on November 17, the child had a nosebleed. The patient later also had swelling of the limbs, oliguria, etc. After many hours of emergency treatment, at 6:30 a.m. this morning, the patient passed away.

The leader of Nghe An Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital said that the unit will establish a professional council to conclude the cause of death of this child patient.

According to the reporter's investigation, after being admitted to the hospital, the child was injected with antibiotics Ceftazidime and Tobramycin, and was also given intravenous fluids and nebulizers to reduce fever. However, on November 16, the doctors decided to change to antibiotics Rocephin. Immediately after injecting this antibiotic, the boy showed abnormal signs and died.