Dengue Patient in India's UP Dies After Allegedly Receiving Juice Drip Instead of Platelets

As the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh has seen untimely rains in September-October this year, cases of vector borne dengue are on the rise. This year, about 3,000 cases of viral fever have been recorded in the state, of which approximately 1,000 have been registered in October alone.

A private hospital in Prayagraj district of India's Uttar Pradesh state was sealed after the family of a dengue patient accused the staff of transfusing fruit juice instead of blood platelets to him, leading to the man's death.

Media reports suggest that the doctors put "orange juice" drips on the patient, identified as Pradeep Pandey, which caused blood clotting in his veins.

His condition reportedly deteriorated after he was given three units of platelets, and he died later while being shifted to another hospital.

प्रयागराज में मानवता शर्मसार हो गयी।

एक परिवार ने आरोप लगाया है कि झलवा स्थित ग्लोबल हॉस्पिटल ने डेंगू के मरीज प्रदीप पांडेय को प्लेटलेट्स की जगह मोसम्मी का जूस चढ़ा दिया।

मरीज की मौत हो गयी है।

इस प्रकरण की जाँच कर त्वरित कार्यवाही करें। @prayagraj_pol @igrangealld pic.twitter.com/nOcnF3JcgP

— Vedank Singh (@VedankSingh) October 19, 2022

“Strict action will be taken against those found guilty in the case and no one will be spared,” Uttar Pradesh Deputy State Chief Brajesh Pathak said in a tweet.

Dr. Nanak Saran, chief medical officer, Prayagraj, said that naked eyes cannot determine whether a platelets bag contained platelet or something else and it can only be ascertained after a forensic probe.

Meanwhile, Saurabh Tripathi, the brother-in-law of the deceased, claimed that initially police refused to register their complaint about the matter.

As cases of dengue are surging in the state, police have recently busted a fake blood bank. In this regard, Allahabad Nursing Home Association (ANHA) issued an advisory asking the patients to approach only registered doctors and blood banks.

“In the wake of the rising number of dengue patients, it is advisable that the platelets should not be bought from any place except blood banks. It should be done personally instead of depending on middle men as such irregularities can’t happen in blood banks,” said Dr. Sushil Sinha, president ANHA.

In 30 percent of dengue cases, which turn serious, the platelet count decreases as blood cells are affected by the virus that causes platelet damage, and platelets are transfused in the patient.

Meanwhile, the owner of the hospital where Pradeep Pandey was treated, claimed that the platelets were brought from a different medical facility and were not provided by them.