A one-year-old boy in Hubei Enshi, suffering from persistent cough, was taken to the Maternal and Child Hospital of Enshi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture for treatment. After receiving intravenous therapy for 4 minutes, the child began to have severe convulsions and passed away shortly after. The incident has sparked public attention.
On March 30, a netizen posted that on March 25, the one-year-old boy named Du developed a cough that lasted for 20 days with intermittent fever, prompting the visit to the Maternal and Child Hospital of Enshi Prefecture. The initial diagnosis by the doctors was bronchopneumonia, and hospitalization for observation was recommended. However, after just 4 minutes of intravenous infusion in the afternoon, the child started to experience severe convulsions and his lips turned purple and white. He passed away in about 20 minutes.
According to Red Star News on April 1, Mrs. Du, the boy’s aunt, raised doubts about why the child began convulsing violently and ultimately died just a few minutes after receiving the intravenous treatment.
Mrs. Du mentioned that hospital and health department personnel visited Du’s family on April 1 to coordinate the situation. The family is currently awaiting the autopsy results.
The routine biochemistry report provided by the family showed that on March 25, the boy visited the Department of Pediatric Neurorespiratory Rehabilitation and underwent serum tests, with a preliminary diagnosis of pneumonia.
Du’s mother, Mrs. Li, explained that she had been trying to conceive since 2022, experiencing miscarriages and ectopic pregnancies before finally having this child after enduring immense hardships during pregnancy.
As described by the boy’s mother, the doctor reassured them at the time and suggested hospitalization for a few days to investigate the cause, even though the child did not have a fever. The family decided to proceed with hospitalization to find out the underlying reason for the visit.
Around 1 o’clock in the afternoon, the child started receiving intravenous therapy with azithromycin. However, just 4 minutes later, the child began to convulse violently. The nurses and attending physicians responded by stating that it was not an allergic reaction, and that skin testing for azithromycin was unnecessary. They even claimed that convulsions were normal and nothing serious. Subsequently, the child was administered a sedative.
Within those ostensibly normal minutes, the child’s condition rapidly deteriorated – his lips started turning purple, and his extremities became pale. It wasn’t until over 20 minutes later that the ICU doctor arrived at the scene, but by then, the child had no heartbeat.
Jimo News reported that the family questioned the hospital’s failure to fully evaluate the child’s medical history (as he had been treated at another hospital for “multiple infection pneumonia and systemic inflammatory response syndrome” from March 9 to March 19) before immediately using azithromycin. The medication could potentially induce prolonged QT intervals or neurogenic seizures, posing higher risks to infants and young children.
The family also questioned the hospital’s improper rescue efforts: medical staff did not follow protocol to ensure airway clearance immediately after the convulsions, and failed to promptly summon the emergency response team, opting for sedation against medical guidelines.
The Health Commission of Enshi Prefecture has sealed the medical records and surveillance videos, and commissioned a forensic appraisal for the autopsy, expecting results within 1 to 2 months. The hospital involved offered to pay “tens of thousands of yuan for funeral expenses,” but the family rejected the offer, demanding the full disclosure of medical records, clear accountability, and reforms in emergency response protocols.
It was reported that the child has undergone the autopsy, and further investigations are necessary before announcing specific details.
The loss of a vibrant young life in just over twenty minutes has drawn significant public attention.
Over 80% of netizens questioned the delayed rescue efforts and improper medication use, expressing sympathy for the mother who had undergone difficult pregnancies (including miscarriages and ectopic pregnancies). Some voices called for strict adherence to the principle of “oral medication over intravenous therapy” in grassroots hospitals and enhanced monitoring of vital signs when administering medications to infants and young children.
A Weibo user, “YYX Ah Xuan,” commented: “The one-year-old child’s convulsions and subsequent death after 4 minutes of intravenous therapy are truly heartbreaking! The family’s doubts regarding delayed rescue procedures and inadequate assessment of medication risks are not unfounded. It took over 20 minutes for the ICU doctor to arrive after the convulsions, far exceeding the golden rescue time. Medical personnel only administered sedatives without timely resuscitation measures, making their actions truly incomprehensible.”
Although azithromycin does not typically require conventional skin testing, it bears rare risks of adverse reactions, requiring extra caution when administered to children with medical histories. The hospital’s post-incident handling lacked humane care, and the hospital’s involvement in numerous disputes in recent years has heightened public concerns. Relevant authorities should thoroughly investigate the matter, provide an explanation to the family, and reassure the public.
Another Weibo user, “Chen-31,” exclaimed: “Another tragedy, leaving the child’s family heartbroken and desperate. The baby born after ten months of pregnancy just passed away, which is truly unacceptable! The hospital involved has been embroiled in over a hundred medical disputes in recent years and was fined 1.15 million yuan for medical damages in 2025. It’s imperative to conduct a thorough investigation into this hospital.”
Business information shows that the Maternal and Child Hospital of Enshi Prefecture has been involved in over a hundred judicial disputes, mainly centered on medical liability disputes. In November 2025, the hospital was compelled by the court to pay over 1.15 million yuan.