Kolkata, January 13 (IANS). West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has issued an order for CID to investigate the death of a pregnant woman due to transfusion of expired Ringer’s Lactate (RL) saline at the Government Medical College and Hospital in West Medinipur district.
Speaking to reporters at the State Secretariat in Naban on Monday, the Chief Minister said that it is clear from the incident that there has been negligence on the part of the doctors associated with the hospital.
The Chief Minister also clarified that the CID investigation into the case will continue parallel to the ongoing investigation by the inquiry committee appointed by the state health department.
The Chief Minister said, “Strict action will be taken in the matter after the detailed report of the inquiry committee comes. I will not tolerate any kind of negligence in the matter.”
The Chief Minister’s announcement of handing over the investigation of the case to CID came just hours after a PIL was filed in the matter in the Calcutta High Court.
Last week, five pregnant women were admitted to Medinipur Medical College and Hospital in a critical condition after they were allegedly given expired saline. One of these women, Mamoni Ruidas (25), died on Friday. The remaining four were undergoing treatment in the same hospital. Three were admitted to the government SSKM hospital after their condition suddenly worsened on Sunday.
The expired RL Saline was reportedly supplied by Paschim Banga Pharmaceutical Limited, which was banned first by the Karnataka government and later by the West Bengal government.
The Health Department of West Bengal has constituted a 13-member inquiry committee to investigate the matter as to how expired saline was given to these patients.
The incident has once again raised concerns about similar cases in the state’s healthcare system.
It is noteworthy that Kolkata’s R.G. In a recent case of financial irregularities at Kar Medical College and Hospital, former college principal Sandeep Ghosh was accused of encouraging the use of expired and ineffective medicines on patients for personal financial gain.
–IANS
AKJ/