Drip with fungus administered at JN
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, April 30: With the case of a child admitted to JN Hospital being administered Electrolyte (P) infested with fungus and which was purchased from a local chemist shop coming to light, there is serious apprehension whether sub-standard and fungus grown Electrolyte (P) drips are being brought in for sale from outside Manipur.

The Electrolyte (P) drip is essential young children who are suffering from Diarrhoea and vomiting so as to prevent further weakening of their body system and to avoid dehydration.

The fungus infested Electrolyte bottles which were found being administered to a child suffering from diarrhoea at JN Hospital

On receiving the information, The Sangai Express met the child patient who is undergoing treatment at the children ward of JN Hospital and saw the Electrolyte (P) drip bottles having some white substances floating inside.

Similar substances were also detected inside the Electrolyte bottles being sold at the same chemist shop from where the alleged fungus grown Electrolyte (P) drips have been purchased.

Coming close on the heels of the recent incident of condom and insects being found inside Pepsi and Sprite bottles, the sale of fungus grown Electrolyte (P) drips, has become a cause of concern among the parents having young children.

According to a doctor of the JN Hospital, the fungus grown Electrolyte (P) drip can cause infection to the child.

If it is not highly pathogenic, then nothing might happen.

Hospital source said no complication has been seen on the child as of now.

One and half year old Oinam Boxer of Khurai Chingangbam Leikai was admitted to Bed no.13 in the Children Ward of the JN Hospital as he was suffering from diarrhoea and vomiting.

At the advice of the doctors attending on the ailing child to administer Electrolyte (P) drips, the Family members purchased the five bottles of the same from 'Medi House' located near the Hospital.

The attending nurses had already injected three bottles without noticing the presence of foreign particles inside the medicine bottles, as there was not sufficient light at that relevant time.

But when the fourth Electrolyte drip was being administered today, they noticed some white substances floating inside the bottle.

The matter was promptly reported to the doctors and the said drip was removed immediately.

Electrolyte (P) Drip is manufactured by Mount Meteur Pharmaceutical Limited based at Tamil Nadu.

The manufacturing date printed on the bottles is November 2005 and the expiry date is April 2007.The batch number is EP05.142 and priced at Rs 45.On inspecting the other bottles of the Electrolyte (P) drip being sold at Medi House, from where the five bottles were reportedly purchased, The Sangai Express saw similar white substances floating of varying sizes floating inside.

A staff manning the chemist shop said they brought the Electrolyte bottles from another suppliers.

Such fungus grown Electrolytes have been detected in the passed and were send back to the manufacturing company, he added.