Odisha Hospital Under Fire After Fever-Stricken Child Given Anti-Rabies Vaccine by Mistake

Bonai/Sundargarh: In a troubling case that raises questions about medical oversight in government hospitals, a four-year-old girl was mistakenly administered an anti-rabies vaccine (ARV) for a fever at the Bonai Sub-Divisional Hospital in Odisha’s Sundargarh district.

The incident occurred on July 29, when Chinmayee Jena, a resident of Kodia village, brought her daughter to the hospital with a high fever. According to Chinmayee, Dr. Likichand Mohapatra from the paediatrics department prescribed an ARV injection, which was then issued by the hospital pharmacy.

Despite being asked by the pharmacy staff whether the child had been bitten by a dog—and her clear denial—the vaccine was administered. Chinmayee said she was unaware at the time that the injection was unrelated to her daughter’s symptoms.

When her daughter’s condition failed to improve, she returned to the hospital for a follow-up. It was during this visit that Chinmayee claims she was informed of the prescription mistake. “The doctor reassured us that there was no danger and changed the prescription. He even suggested two more doses of the same vaccine,” she told reporters.

She also alleged that the doctor tore up the original prescription in an apparent attempt to hide the error. The confusion, she believes, may have occurred because the doctor was attending to another patient at the same time.

However, Dr. Mohapatra defended his decision, saying the vaccine was part of routine immunisation. He added that after re-examining the child, he diagnosed the fever as a symptom of chickenpox, not a reaction to the vaccine.

As concerns grow over the quality of care at public health institutions, the incident has triggered outrage among locals, with calls for stricter protocols and accountability in medical procedures.