An elderly man suffering from fever and having severe body ache was wrongly given anti-rabies shot instead of painkiller in the Community Health Centre (CHC) at Bhandaripokhari in Bhadrak district.

The patient’s family on Thursday demanded a probe into the incident and action against the concerned nurse. “This is a gross negligence on part of the government hospital authorities,” the family alleged.

The patient identified as 56-year-old Bijay Biswal had been admitted to the CHC for treatment after he suffered from fever. He hails from Dakshinabada village in the district.

A doctor in the CHC prescribed him to take ‘Diclofenac’ to get relief from body ache. However, an on-duty nurse gave her anti-rabies shot instead. After knowing this, the patient and his family asked about it to the nurse. Fearing administrative action and ire of the patient’s attendants, the nurse fled from the spot along with the prescription. Bijay was again admitted to the CHC by the family.

On being informed, a Bhandaripokhari police team reached the hospital and initiated a probe.

When contacted, CHC in-charge Dr Kamalakanta Swain said, “An on-duty nurse wrongly gave ARV to a patient. However, ARV is a preventive vaccine and usually it does not show side-effects. There is no chance of the vaccine causing any harm to the patient in future. We will certainly issue a show-cause notice to the nurse concerned. Condition of the patient is normal now and no side-effect of the ARV was detected in him. We will be careful henceforth and such minor mistakes will not occur anymore.”