Baby died from infection that can kill in hours - Coroner's ruling on Jamal Abdi's death from meningococcal sepsis

Published: 14 April 2011
by JOSIE HINTON

A BABY boy died from a “rapid and overwhelming” bacterial infection after being diagnosed with suspected swine flu, an inquest has heard.

Five-month-old Jamal Abdi died on January 7 at University College London Hospital in Euston, 48 hours after developing a fever.

Jamal’s mother, Hani Ashkir, of Goldington Street, Camden Town, told St Pancras Coroner’s Court on Monday how she took baby Jamal and her daughter Jasmine to see their doctor when they became unwell.

Both were prescribed the anti-viral drug Tamiflu by a doctor at James Wigg Practice in Kentish Town. But due to a misunderstanding over the dose prescribed to the baby, the pharmacist at the Day Lewis Pharmacy in Kentish Town Road did not provide Jamal’s  medication, the court heard.

Ms Ashkir said: “The doctor gave me a prescription for medication. The chemist said there was a problem and he needed to talk to the doctor before he could give me Jamal’s medication. I asked if I could give him some Calpol and he said that was fine.”

But less than 48 hours later, Ms Ashkir realised her son was not breathing. He was rushed to University College London Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. 

During the hearing, questions were raised over whether the discrepancy with the medication had any bearing on Jamal’s death. But a post-mortem con­firmed the baby boy did not have swine flu. Instead, he was killed by meningococcal sepsis. Rare in adults but common in babies, the infection can kill within a few hours.

Recording a verdict of death by natural causes, Dr Andrew Reid said: “It is clear the issues with the medication did not affect the outcome. In those people who are susceptible to this kind of infection it can be a very rapid progression. 

“The baby may be relatively well and then deteriorate very quickly.

“This is due to circulatory collapse. The body can’t provide enough oxygen to keep the brain going. This unfortunately happened to Jamal.”