The Punjab Health Department released an inquiry report on Tuesday regarding the deaths of patients allegedly caused by a reaction to Ceftriaxone injections at Mayo Hospital.
Three nurses-Saima Seher, Nazia Hassan, and Sunaina Khalid-have been suspended for negligence.
The authorities have also issued show-cause notices to the suspended nurses and directed them to report to the Punjab Health Department. They have been instructed to submit written responses within seven days. The inquiry committee identified misconduct by the nurses, concluding that their negligence and malpractices in administering powdered injections (including reconstitution, dilution, and route of administration), along with bad dispensing practices of Ceftriaxone, led to adverse drug reactions in 16 patients on March 9, 2025, in the Chest Surgical Ward.
The report attributes the incident directly to the nurses’ negligence.
The Punjab government has banned the use of the Ceftriaxone injection in all hospitals following the ‘deaths’ of two patients at Mayo Hospital, Lahore, due to a severe reaction to the drug. Punjab’s Secretary of Health, Azmat Mahmood, confirmed the deaths and announced the formation of an investigation committee to probe the matter. He also immediately suspended the use of the injection across the province.
The Medical Superintendent (MS) of Jinnah Hospital revealed that their hospital had also received a stock of the Ceftriaxone injection from the Punjab Health Department.
However, following the fatal incidents at Mayo Hospital, the stock was returned as a precautionary measure.
According to sources, the Ceftriaxone injection was set to expire in May 2026, and its procurement was handled by the Director General (DG) Health Punjab, rather than Mayo Hospital itself.