Spotlight on Peradeniya Hospital : Hospital boasts of great service and best vaccine, but Sandeepani still died

The victim’s mother maintains that her daughter had died because of the injections administered on her 

Peradeniya Hospital states that investigations are underway to determine Sandeepani’s cause of death

The GMOA has made a request from the Peradeniya Hospital to provide a report regarding the fatal incident

Sandeepani is the fourth patient to have died following an alleged infection of a vaccine

The deceased, Chamodi Sandeepani, who died under tragic circumstances at the Peradeniya Hospital, was a student at Sri Swarnajothi national school and did her A/L Examination in the arts stream last year (Pix by Samantha Perera) 

Friends and relations are seen visiting the house where the remains of Chamodi Sandeepani lie 

Investigations are underway to determine the cause of death of 21-year old Chamodi Sandeepani who died under mysterious circumstances on July 11following the administration of two doses of vaccines while being admitted to the Peradeniya Teaching Hospital. Sandeepani was admitted to the Peradeniya Hospital after she complained of a stomach ache.
Sandeepani, a resident of Poththapitiya, Alagalla was initially admitted to the Ketapitiya Teaching Hospital in Yatinuwara and was subsequently transferred to the Peradeniya Teaching Hospital. 

Her relatives claimed that Sandeepani was initially admitted to the ICU at around 9.00 am and by about 12.30pm she was transferred to Ward No. 7. It was at this ward that a nurse had administered two doses of vaccines upon realising that her condition hadn’t improved; after which Sandeepani had turned blue and had breathed her last.
Speaking about Sandeepani’s death her father Y. G Jayarathne said that his daughter had complained of a stomach ache. “She had loose motion and was vomiting. On Monday we admitted her to Ketapitiya Hospital. Since her condition didn’t improve she was transferred to the Peradeniya Teaching Hospital. She was admitted to the ICU around 10.00 am and by 12.00pm she was transferred to ward no. 7 after a dose of saline. Thereafter nobody had checked on her condition till afternoon. Around 3.30 pm she was given another dose of saline. Thereafter a nurse had administered one vaccine upon which my daughter had complained of an irritation. But the nurse had claimed that she had administered the best vaccine to cure her condition. In a little while, another vaccine was given. Immediately she had felt an irritation and had felt like vomiting. She had called out for her mother, removed her saline and gone to the washroom. While at the washroom my child’s head had collapsed and she had passed phlegm. My wife, Maya Indrani, had held her and had called out for help. Immediately the staff had come and performed several treatments; pressing her stomach. But she had passed away by then. The post mortem revealed that my child had died at around 10.30pm. We lost our child and we cannot bear the loss. We urge authorities to provide quality medicines to patients at least now,” Jayaratne urged. 

Sandeepani was a student at Sri Swarnajothi National School and had sat for her A/L Examination in the arts stream last year. She had been studying Korean language as well. Sandeepani had been a talented student apart from excelling in her studies. 

“I have two sons and a daughter. But I lost my gem,” said Sandeepani’s mother Indrani. “The nurse administered the vaccine through a cannula. Thereafter my daughter complained of a pain in her hand. When I told the nurse she said that it’s a strong injection and then she had given another one. Immediately my daughter screamed saying that she felt an irritation in her eyes and she removed the saline and ran to the toilet. I ran behind her. She kept her head on the sink and started passing phlegm. Her entire body turned blue. I screamed urging her to talk. The staff immediately arrived and carried her to the ward. They were pressing her chest, but my daughter never opened her eyes again. I screamed urging them to save my child’s life. I asked them why they had to administer two vaccines on my child. Everybody was shocked. My child died because of these injections. I lost my only daughter. The Peradeniya Hospital is entirely responsible for my child’s death,” she claimed. 
When inquiries were made a senior official at the Peradeniya Hospital said that investigations are underway to determine Sandeepani’s cause of death. Sandeepani is the fourth patient to have died following an alleged infection of a vaccine. 

Chief Judicial Medical Officer Dr. Prabhath Senasinghe had declared an open verdict regarding Sandeepani’s death following the submission of her body parts to the government analyst to determine the actual cause of death. 
However, All Island Nurses Association Secretary S. S. M Mediwaka said that the nurse at the Peradeniya Hospital had administered the antibacterial vaccine according to the standards. “This antibiotic has to be dissolved in a 10mm syringe in order to be given to the patient. But there’s a shortage of 10mm syringes in hospitals. Therefore the nurse had administered the drug in two 5mm syringes,” he added.
Speaking about the incident Government Medical Officers Association Media Secretary Dr. Chamil Wijesinghe said that the GMOA had made a request from the Peradeniya Hospital to provide a report regarding the incident. “A thorough investigation needs to be conducted regarding the loss of an innocent life. There’s a certain amount of uncertainty regarding the loss of a life that resulted from an antibiotic. We too are uncertain regarding the causes pertaining to this death. The quality of medicines purchased under emergency purchases is a matter of concern. The damage will be greater if the Health Ministry continues to maintain its deafening silence. The Health Minister and the Ministry should be held responsible for this crisis,” said Dr. Wijesinghe.

Adding his comments at a media briefing, Peradeniya Hospital Director Dr. Arjuna Thilakaratne said that the JMO had delivered an open verdict. “Her body parts, blood and food samples have been sent to the government analyst. We can provide a conclusion only upon receiving these reports. This antibiotic had been prescribed to around 2700 patients at hospital. It is being prescribed around the island. We suspect whether this death was caused due to a rare infection. But we still cannot confirm it. We will have to wait for the reports to arrive at a final conclusion,” said Dr. Thilakaratne.
When inquired, Prof. Udaya Ralapanawa who was in-charge of Ward No. 7 said that the patient’s CRP value was high. “The CRP value of a patient in critical condition should still be below 6. But Sandeepani’s CRP value was at 270. Therefore there’s a tendency that she had a bacterial infection in her system. We use antibiotics on patients who have similar infections. We prescribed antibiotics on this child and this drug is given to many patients at the hospital. But this child collapsed as soon as she was given this drug. This is due to the shock that resulted from a severe infection. We administered drugs to minimise the intensity of the infection. In rare cases patients die. Around the world around 1-2% patients die under similar circumstances. Unfortunately this child became a victim. But we cannot claim that this death happened due to substandard drugs. The investigations are still underway,” Prof. Ralapanawa added.