Nashwa died due to organ failure caused by 'fast intravenous administration of KCl': forensic report

Published May 14, 2019
"Fast intravenous administration of Potassium Chloride (KCl)" caused multi-organ failure, concludes medical board formed to examine Nashwa's body. — DawnNewsTV/File
"Fast intravenous administration of Potassium Chloride (KCl)" caused multi-organ failure, concludes medical board formed to examine Nashwa's body. — DawnNewsTV/File

Nine-month-old Nashwa had died at a Karachi hospital due to multi-organ failure that was caused by "fast intravenous administration of Potassium Chloride (KCl)", a three-member medical board concluded in a forensic report released on Tuesday.

The multi-organ failure of the infant had led to a cardiac arrest, the report said, adding that "no injuries associated with prolonged CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) were seen on the body."

The three-member board, which was constituted last month by Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah to conduct a forensic examination of Nashwa's body, comprised police surgeon Dr Qarar Ahmed Abbasi, senior medico-legal officer Dr Summaiya Syed and forensic expert Prof Farhat Mirza.

Baby Nashwa, who was left paralysed after she was allegedly injected with the wrong dosage of a solution at the Darul Sehat Hospital in Karachi, passed away on April 22. According to the first information report, Nashwa had been administered an overdose of potassium chloride and that too not via a drip. Minutes later, her lips turned blue and she began having trouble breathing.

She was then given CPR for 45 minutes and was then placed on a ventilator. She died two weeks later.

A case has been registered against 13 people including Amir Waliuddin Chishti, the chairman of the Darul Sehat Hospital, vice-chairman Syed Ali Farhan and 11 other administrative and medical officials for the death of the infant.

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