Jhalakathi man dies after paramedic, without authority, prescribes and administers injection

An elderly man with a fever has died in Jhalakathi's Rajapur Upazila as his condition deteriorated after being prescribed and administered an injection by a paramedic who lacked the authority to do so.

Abdul Halim Howlader, 65, passed away at his residence in the Upazila's Rajapur Southpur village in Rajapur Upazila early Tuesday.

But he had no symptoms of a coronavirus infection, said Abul Khair Russel, upazila health officer in Rajapur.

Suffering from fever, Abdul Halim sought medical help from the nearby Shohag Clinic a few days ago, Russel told bdnews24.com. The clinic's paramedic Nasir Uddin subsequently prescribed an injection of Ceftriaxone which is believed to have been fatal.

“We’re not sure if the man died from coronavirus. It appears that his death was linked to some other reason.”

“Diploma doctor Nasir prescribed 14 injections to Halim but the patient's condition worsened after three doses were injected into him," Mothbari Union Parishad member Md Tariqul Islam told journalists.

Nasir admitted that he gave the prescription and administered the injection without the authority to do so.

“Halim did not show any symptoms of a coronavirus infection but he was diagnosed with typhoid after a blood test and so I prescribed the Ceftriaxone injection for him,” he told bdnews24.com.

“I have made a mistake. I’m sorry and I’ll not repeat this in future,” he said.