ISLAMABAD, April 26: The Lahore High Court (LHC), Rawalpindi bench, on Friday directed the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) to conduct an inquiry into the negligence of its staff which sent a 17-year-old boy into coma after being administered a wrong injection.

Justice Bashir Mujahid of the LHC, Rawalpindi bench, asked the Pims representative, during the hearing of a petition of the patient, to complete the inquiry within two weeks and submit his findings to the court.

The court has also asked the Pims administration to immediately appoint specialists for the treatment of the patient.

Nadir Altaf advocate representing The Network for Consumer Protection on behalf of the patient expressed dissatisfaction over the quality of treatment being given to the patient.

The petitioner’s counsel told Dawn that the court had directed the hospital management to bear the treatment expenses, instead of shifting the entire burden on the patient.

Mr Javaid was admitted to the Pims for treatment last month and later went into coma after being administered a wrong injection.

The court had summoned the Pims administration and the health ministry on April 22 to appear before it and explain their position.

Altaf advocate pleaded before the court that the patient’s condition had not stabilized so far. He also tried to establish that all intravenous drugs were administered to the patient under the supervision of a senior doctor.

Raja Iftikhar Javaid, the standing counsel for the federation stated that since the patient was bleeding profusely, he was given injection without proper care and that the pharmacy store, located within the hospital premises gave the wrong injection not in accordance with the prescription.

The patient has sought court’s direction against the Pims’ administration to suspend the doctors, medical staff concerned and proceed against them in the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PM&DC) and other related authorities for the cancellation of their licences.

The petitioner has prayed to immediately seal the pharmacy since it had allegedly provided the wrong injection without understanding the prescription.