GILGIT: Two nurses have been detained following the tragic death of a 45-year-old patient at the Provincial Headquarters (PHQ) Hospital in Gilgit. The incident occurred on Tuesday night after the patient underwent an appendectomy, during which a reportedly ‘wrong’ injection was administered by a trainee nurse.
Hospital officials confirmed that the trainee nurse was responsible for the injection, which allegedly caused the patient’s sudden demise. Dr. Syed Sartaj Hussain, Medical Superintendent of PHQ Gilgit, stated that an investigation is underway to determine the exact cause of death and establish accountability.
The patient’s family has raised concerns and reported the incident to the authorities, prompting local police to detain the two nursing staff members for questioning. According to Dr. Sartaj, the trainee nurse claimed the injection was administered at the request of the patient’s attendant, who is affiliated with a private clinic. The attendant allegedly insisted that the doctor had recommended the injection to address the patient’s vomiting. However, the nurse proceeded without verifying a prescription, leading to a rapid deterioration of the patient’s condition and subsequent death within minutes.
In light of the incident, the hospital administration contacted the police and handed over the trainee nurse and the duty staff for further inquiry. An internal review has also been initiated. Dr. Sartaj pointed out that many trainee nurses from private nursing colleges in Gilgit are gaining hands-on experience at government hospitals due to a shortage of trained personnel. He noted that around 70 to 80 trainee nurses are currently working at PHQ, turning the facility into a “training ground.”
In response to this incident, the health department has suspended all trainee nurses from government hospitals in Gilgit, including PHQ and Shaheed Saifur Rehman Hospital, until further notice.
