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Midnapore/Kolkata: A tragic sequence of events has intensified public outcry over the alleged use of expired saline at the state-run Midnapore Medical College and Hospital (MMCH). On Thursday, a newborn girl, whose mother Rekha Shaw was among five women who fell ill last week, passed away at a Kolkata hospital. This comes just days after the death of another woman, Mamoni Ruidas, in the same hospital.
The newborn, born prematurely after Rekha Shaw’s condition deteriorated, had been kept under isolation and on ventilation since birth. “We were shown the baby just once after the birth and since then she was kept in isolation. Now we are told the baby has expired,” said Pushpa Shaw, Rekha’s mother-in-law.
Last week, five women at MMCH reportedly suffered adverse reactions after being administered expired Ringer’s Lactate (RL) saline solution. While Ruidas succumbed to her illness last Friday, the other four women were initially treated in the hospital’s intensive care units. Three of them, including Rekha Shaw, were later transferred to the state-run S.S.K.M. Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata due to worsening conditions.
Calls for Central Investigation
The incident has drawn sharp criticism and demands for a thorough probe. On Wednesday, Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, called for Central agencies like the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) to intervene.
Currently, the investigation is being conducted by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the West Bengal Police and a team from the state health department.
Controversial Supplier Under Scrutiny
The expired RL saline allegedly originated from Paschim Banga Pharmaceuticals Ltd., a company with a controversial history. The firm had previously been banned by the Karnataka government and later faced restrictions in West Bengal.
In response to the crisis, the West Bengal health department has directed all medical institutions in the state to stop using existing stocks of Compound Sodium Lactate Injection supplied by Paschim Banga Pharmaceuticals. The government has further ordered the removal of all medicines supplied by the company from healthcare facilities across the state.
Public Health Concerns
The deaths and hospitalizations have raised serious concerns about the quality control and oversight in the supply of essential medical products to public healthcare facilities. The tragedy has prompted widespread criticism and calls for accountability in ensuring patient safety.
As investigations continue, the incident has sparked debates over systemic lapses in the healthcare supply chain, leaving grieving families and a shaken public demanding justice and preventive measures to avoid such tragedies in the future.
