A woman, taken to a hospital on Sunday, died a few hours later allegedly from being given a wrong injection.
Relatives and neighbours then staged a demonstration against the hospital administration and demanded an immediate action against the doctor responsible for the death.
They placed the body on The Mall and chanted slogans against the doctor they accused of negligence.
Shafiq Ahmad, a relative of the deceased Zahida Bibi, a resident of Shadab Colony and a mother of two, said she was taken to the private hospital in the Civil Lines area after being sick for several days.
He said Dr Tehmina administered her an injection without telling her husband, Saifullah, what was wrong with her. Ahmad said a few minutes later, Zahida Bibi’s condition worsened.
He said the doctor was asked to tend to her as she constantly complained of abdominal pain after the injection. Ahmad said Zahidi Bibi died without being re-examined.
The protesters accused Dr Tehmina of negligence and demanded action against her.
The protesters dispersed when a police team, led by Inspector Hafiz Irfan, the SHO, arrived at the scene and assured the protestors that action would be taken against those responsible.
Talking to The Express Tribune, Dr Tehmina said the woman had died from an allergic reaction to the injection and not because the injection was not given properly.
She said the woman had already been in a critical condition when she was brought to the hospital. She said, “Before we could proceed with some tests, she died.”
She said she was sorry for the family who had lost a loved one, but “this was an accident and not negligence.”
She also said Zahida Bibi had been her regular patient and that her younger child was born under her supervision. “Everything had gone well”.
The body has been sent for a post-mortem examination. Police said no case had yet been registered so far.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 17th, 2013.