Missed Case of Meningitis Leads to Newborn in a Vegetative State
Channel: Patient Safety Movement
Date: 26/08/2022

Sanjeev and Ekta Neupane were doing very well in their careers in Dhapasi, Nepal and the timing just felt right to start their family. When Ekta became pregnant, they were able to afford to go to the esteemed international hospital in their city to get the very best care. Their son Rihan was born premature weighing only 2.85 kilograms. After 30 minutes, he had uncontrolled breathing and was placed on a ventilator. Rihan was placed in the NICU for twenty-one days and they gave him high doses of a variety of medications. He finally went home but ended up back to NICU after developing a fever. After a spinal tap, they found him to have meningitis. Five surgeries later, they told the family his brain was not functioning and there was nothing else they could do. Rihan is at home and in a vegetative state and all his parents can do is monitor his vitals and make sure he is not in pain. The doctors and hospital took no responsibility for what had happened. Sanjeev is committed to improving patient safety in his city and is constantly contacted by mothers wanting to avoid a similar fate for their baby.