West Bengal Government Acts on Expired Saline Incident
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Synopsis
The West Bengal government has ordered an immediate halt to the use of expired Ringer’s Lactate saline in response to a woman's death at Medinipur Medical College Hospital. This decision follows public outcry and legal action over the incident involving expired saline supplied by a previously banned pharmaceutical company.
Key Takeaways
- Immediate action taken by West Bengal health department
- Public interest litigations filed in Calcutta High Court
- Call for legal accountability against officials
- Concerns raised over healthcare practices
- Previous bans on the supplying company
Kolkata, Jan 14 (NationPress) Following the tragic death of a woman at the state-operated Medinipur Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, allegedly due to the administration of expired Ringer’s Lactate (RL) saline last week, the West Bengal health department has mandated an immediate halt on the use of this specific solution across all medical facilities in the state.
A notification released by the Central Medical Stores (CMS), Kolkata, which is available with IANS, has instructed medical superintendents and vice principals of all medical colleges and hospitals, along with district chief medical officers, to ensure the complete cessation of any existing stock of Compound Sodium Lactate Injection (RL) supplied by Paschim Banga Pharmaceuticals Pvt. Ltd in their respective areas.
The notification further specifies that any existing stock should be removed from wards and hospitals if it has not been already, and must be stored in a sealed location.
Authorities have been directed to submit a written compliance report on the situation as soon as possible.
On Monday, two public interest litigations (PILs) were submitted at the Calcutta High Court regarding this matter.
The opposition leader in the West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, has called for FIRs to be filed against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the state health minister, and State Health Secretary Narayan Swarup Nigam.
Last week, five pregnant women were critically hospitalized after allegedly receiving expired saline. One of them, Mamoni Ruidas (25), tragically passed away on Friday, while the other four continued to receive treatment at the same facility. Three of them were transferred to the state-run S.S.K.M. Medical College and Hospital in south Kolkata on Sunday night due to a rapid decline in their health.
This incident has sparked significant concern, especially considering that the expired RL saline reportedly originated from Paschim Banga Pharmaceutical Limited, a company previously banned by both the Karnataka and West Bengal governments.
The occurrence has reignited worries about similar issues within the state's healthcare system. Notably, in a recent case involving financial misconduct at R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, the former principal, Sandip Ghosh, faced allegations of promoting the use of expired and ineffective medications on patients for personal profit.
