A 61-year-old woman reportedly suffered paralysis after being administered rabies vaccine at the Government Medical College Hospital (MCH), Alappuzha.
Shanthamma, 61, of Thakazhi in Kuttanad, received the vaccine following a rabbit bite on October 21. She is at present in the intensive care unit (ICU) at the MCH and is undergoing treatment for anaphylactic shock.
Her family has filed a complaint with the Ambalappuzha police alleging medical negligence. The complaint notes that the woman developed an allergic reaction following a test dose of the vaccine. Despite the allergy, medical staff proceeded with the full vaccination dose, the complaint states.
The MCH authorities, however, denied allegations of medical negligence. In a statement issued on Wednesday, officials said Ms. Shanthamma was administered the vaccine after informing her and her husband Soman of potential side-effects and obtaining consent.
“The patient was initially given a test dose of Equine Rabies Immunoglobulin (ERIG). As she showed sensitivity to the test dose, both the patient and her husband were informed. The patient was given desensitisation medicines to reduce allergy. Later, the full dose of ERIG was administered with consent. When she started showing symptoms of anaphylaxis, immediate treatment was provided in the casualty before shifting her to the ICU,” the statement reads.
Officials added that anaphylactic shock had been reported in patients administered with ERIG in rare cases. A medical board meeting held on Wednesday noted that while the patient was in stable condition, there had been no significant improvement in brain function.
Published – October 30, 2024 08:44 pm IST
