KKH investigating allegation that expired nasal spray was given to baby

SINGAPORE - The KK Women's and Children's Hospital (KKH) said on Tuesday (Oct 2) that it is investigating an allegation that an expired nasal spray was given to a baby at the hospital.

A Facebook post published on Monday by netizen Judy Teo said that KKH had issued Ms Teo's daughter with a nasal spray that expired earlier in April.

Ms Teo's daughter, who was only three weeks old when the medicine was prescribed on Aug 25, still had a blocked nose and had trouble breathing properly even after a month of using the spray.

She told The Straits Times that the lack of improvement in her child's condition prompted her husband to check the nasal spray on Monday, and it was only then that they realised the spray had already expired.

Replying to ST queries, Ms Irene Chan, director for office of patient experience at KKH, said: "We are aware of this online post and are investigating the matter.

"We are also in contact with the family."

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Ms Teo, 32, who works as a customer service officer, said she took her daughter to KKH on Aug 25 after the child came down with fever and flu.

Her daughter was hospitalised for a night and was discharged the next day. The expired nasal spray was given by nurses in the hospital ward, according to Ms Teo.

But despite hospitalisation and medication, Ms Teo said her daughter remained unwell and cried many hours daily.

The baby's lack of a recovery had stressed Ms Teo and her husband, who are first-time parents.

She said KKH has arranged for a check-up for the baby on Wednesday morning due to the issue. But she hopes that the hospital can offer her more help instead of just a one-time consultation.

"KKH, as the specialised hospital for children, has disappointed me. We trusted that our baby will be in good hands and would be well taken care of, but this incident happened," Ms Teo added.

Earlier in May, KKH apologised after it dispensed the wrong medication to a young girl by mistake.

The hospital had given a nasal spray and a bottle of nose drops to the parents of the girl, and only realised later that the medicine had been opened and used before.

KKH said then that it was conducting investigations and reviewing internal processes in the light of the incident.

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.