Baby Goes Blind After Medical Staff Administers Cough Medication Into Eyes

A claim has emerged that a 19-month-old baby in India lost both eyes to permanent blindness due to a shocking medication error by medical staff after visiting a hospital for symptoms of a common cold.

On May 29, medical staff at a government hospital in the Sagar region of central India allegedly administered a phlegm-removing medication into the baby's eyes instead of eye drops.

At the time, the baby was suffering from a cold, cough, and bloodshot eyes, but was not in critical condition.

The pediatrician who examined the patient prescribed eye drops and painkillers.

However, the baby's family claimed that during the treatment process, medical staff mistakenly administered the phlegm-removing medication into both of the child's eyes.

The child's condition deteriorated rapidly afterward. The family stayed at the hospital for three to four hours waiting for improvement, but it was to no avail.

The family rushed the child to a top-tier national hospital in India, but the baby was ultimately diagnosed with permanent blindness.

The national hospital stated that the child completely lost their vision due to medical malpractice and the administration of medication inappropriate for the symptoms.

As news of the incident spread, the state government health authorities formed a special investigation committee and launched an inquiry.

It is estimated that approximately 5.2 million cases of medical malpractice and misdiagnosis occur in India every year due to shortages of medical personnel and infrastructure.

Reported by Jung Da-eun | Video by Choi Kang-san | Graphics by Lee Soo-min | Produced by SBS Digital News
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.