GUWAHATI: A three-year-old child undergoing treatment for blood cancer at AIIMS Bhopal allegedly died after being injected with formalin instead of prescribed medication, with an internal hospital inquiry concluding that the toxic chemical directly caused his death.
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The incident occurred in December 2025 but has come to light following the completion of the hospital's investigation, which identified serious lapses in protocol and held nursing staff responsible for negligence.
The child, identified as Sarthak Yadav, was a resident of Kaurja village in Madhya Pradesh's Sagar district. He had been admitted to the paediatric ward of AIIMS Bhopal on December 15, 2025, in critical condition and was undergoing treatment for blood cancer.
According to the family's allegations, the fatal error took place on the morning of December 17 after the child's intravenous (IV) line became blocked. A nursing officer on duty allegedly picked up a syringe marked with the letter "F" and injected its contents into the IV bottle without verifying the substance.
Family members claimed that Sarthak's father repeatedly warned hospital staff that the syringe did not contain the prescribed medicine. However, they alleged that his concerns were ignored.
Shortly after the injection, the child's condition reportedly deteriorated rapidly. He lost consciousness and was shifted to the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), where doctors attempted resuscitation. Despite efforts to save him, Sarthak was declared dead at 8:45 AM.
An internal inquiry conducted by AIIMS Bhopal later found that the syringe used on the child contained formalin, a chemical commonly used in hospitals and laboratories to preserve biopsy samples, tissues and biological specimens.
Medical experts consider formalin highly toxic to humans and unsuitable for injection under any circumstances.
The investigation revealed that another nursing staff member had prepared the syringe containing formalin for laboratory purposes. However, instead of being stored in a designated and secure location, the syringe was allegedly left near a patient's bed, contrary to established hospital protocols.
The inquiry committee concluded that the entry of formalin into the child's bloodstream directly caused his death and attributed the incident to gross negligence.
Following the findings of the inquiry committee, the Bagsewania police registered a case against both nursing officers allegedly involved in the incident.
Nursing officer Madhubala Sharma has been booked under Section 106(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for causing death through gross negligence, while nursing officer Anuka Gujarati has been charged under Section 286 for the negligent handling and storage of a hazardous chemical.