A three-month-old baby from Córdoba remains hospitalized in critical condition after receiving contaminated fentanyl. The baby was treated at Vélez Sarsfield Clinic, in the south of the city. His family reported that the infection occurred due to the use of the drug in the neonatal unit.
Giovanni Benavídez was born by cesarean section on April 26 and had to be intubated due to respiratory complications. Two hours later, he received the drug as a sedative. On May 9, after decompensating, he was treated with morphine and the effects of the intoxication began to appear.
Sol Basualdo, the child's mother, stated that the bacteria damaged the baby's digestive system. In addition, his immunity remains compromised. He is currently awaiting a gastrostomy button surgery.
Un bebé cordobés de tres meses permanece internado en grave estado tras recibir fentanilo contaminado.
Contaminated fentanyl and resistant bacteria
According to the Córdoba Ministry of Health, there were four cases related to fentanyl at that same clinic. Three of them survived and one died. All occurred at Vélez Sarsfield Clinic, involving the batch distributed by HLB Pharma.
The fentanyl was contaminated with Ralstonia pickettii and Klebsiella pneumoniae, bacteria resistant to multiple antibiotics. Their detection is complex, and their treatment is limited, according to health system experts.
Nilda Gait, a toxicologist consulted by LV16, clarified that fentanyl is not dangerous by itself. The problem was the contamination of ampoules and their use in delicate treatments.
El fentanilo estaba contaminado con Ralstonia pickettii y Klebsiella pneumoniae, bacterias resistentes a múltiples antibióticos.
Federal justice and health alert
The case is under investigation by Federal Court No. 3 of La Plata, which is already investigating 20 new cases nationwide. In Córdoba, the Ministry of Health replied to a judicial request by notifying the cases detected in the private sector.
The drug was withdrawn from the public health system, according to Mariano Zaragoza, head of the provincial Pharmacy. However, it has not yet appeared in the National Epidemiological Bulletin, since national surveillance is waiting to consolidate data from the private sector.
ANMAT had ordered in May the prohibition of several batches linked to the initial outbreak. The price of each ampoule from HLB Pharma was $4,300, compared to $14,000 for the product from recognized laboratories.
La droga fue retirada del sistema público de salud, según explicó Mariano Zaragoza, responsable de Farmacia provincial.
Criminal liability
Although there have been no indictments or arrests, the investigation continues for possible responsibility of the laboratory. The court ordered the immobilization of the product and its custody in all jurisdictions where it was distributed.
According to judicial sources, more than 930,000 ampoules may have been distributed throughout the country. In Córdoba alone, there may be 251,000 units, mainly in private institutions. In total, 14 provinces may have been affected.
The case is investigating whether there was negligence or falsification in the contaminated batches. The case recalls previous incidents of synthetic drugs manufactured in clandestine laboratories that caused deaths in other provinces.
