Kolkata: A tragic incident at Midnapore Medical College and Hospital has left one woman dead and five others in critical condition after they received expired saline during childbirth. Mamoni Rui Das, 21, succumbed to her deteriorating condition on Friday, two days after delivering her baby. Despite being transferred to the ICU, she passed away the following day.
The other affected women are also being treated in the ICU. Relatives of the patients have filed a police complaint, prompting the West Bengal Health Department to form a 10-member enquiry committee, which will visit Medinipur on Saturday.
While some reports suggest expired saline may have been the cause, others claim that improper injections could be responsible for the deteriorating conditions. Das’s family claimed she began vomiting after receiving the saline. A preliminary report suggests an allergic reaction may have contributed to her death.
This incident has drawn comparisons to a similar tragedy in Karnataka last year, where defective saline was linked to multiple maternal deaths. West Bengal’s health department had banned the use of the saline involved, which is supplied by Paschim Banga Pharmaceutical Ltd., but concerns persist over its continued distribution.
West Bengal’s Leader of Opposition, Suvendu Adhikari, criticized the state government for failing to prevent the use of substandard medical supplies, calling for a thorough investigation by the Drugs Controller General of India.
Opposition parties, including the BJP, have also expressed outrage, accusing the state’s healthcare system of negligence and demanding accountability for the deaths.
