BHOPAL: A three-year-old boy being treated for blood cancer at AIIMS Bhopal died after he was allegedly injected with formalin, a chemical used to preserve medical samples, instead of medicine, according to an internal inquiry report.
The report found that a syringe containing formalin had been left near the child’s hospital bed in violation of safety protocols. A nurse allegedly administered the substance through the boy’s intravenous line without checking its contents.
Family members said the child’s father repeatedly warned hospital staff that the syringe did not contain medicine. The injection was administered despite the warnings, they alleged.
The child’s condition deteriorated immediately after the injection. He was shifted to the paediatric intensive care unit, where doctors attempted emergency treatment but could not save him.
The inquiry concluded that formalin entering the bloodstream was the direct cause of death and identified serious lapses by nursing staff.
Police have registered a case against two nursing officers based on the findings. One faces charges related to causing death by negligence, while the other has been booked for allegedly failing to store a hazardous chemical safely. The investigation is continuing.
Formalin is a formaldehyde-based solution commonly used in hospitals and laboratories to preserve tissue samples. Medical experts say it is highly toxic and can cause severe organ damage or death if injected into the bloodstream.
