IPOH, Feb 19 — A young girl who sought treatment for diarrhoea at a government health clinic here on Monday saw her symptoms dramatically worsen after she was allegedly given medicine past its use-by date.
K. Keerthana, 10, of Taman Pengkalan Jaya, started to vomit after she consumed a dose of diphenoxylate and atropine suplhate together with Panadol and oral rehydration salts.
She was rushed to a private clinic the same day to receive alternative treatment and was given two days' MC.
She and her mother, housewife R. Punithadevi, 35, came to the Perak DAP office yesterday to highlight the issue.
Also present was Buntong assemblyman A. Sivasubramaniam.
According to Punithadevi, her daughter had been suffering from diarrhoea since Thursday and sought treatment at a 1Malaysia Clinic at Pengkalan but showed no improvement.
Keerthana's uncle, K. Sri Ganesh, 20, then took her to the government health clinic at about noon on Monday.
The girl took the medicine when she got home, but “was vomiting after some time”, said Punithadevi.
On checking, it discovered the prescribed medication had expired in October 2013.
“By then, it was late in the evening and we took to her to a private clinic for treatment,” she said.
Sri Ganesh lodged a police report on the same day.
Subramaniam said: “It is negligence on the part of the clinic, which should check its stocks regularly before dispensing the medicine.
“The Health Ministry should also take responsibility for supplying expired medicine to clinics.”
He said he would write a letter to the Perak State Health Department to conduct an investigation.
Department director Datuk Dr Nordiyanah Hassan had asked the family to lodge a complaint so that appropriate action can be taken.
