The West Bengal Health Department has issued urgent directives following the tragic death of a new mother and the critical condition of three others at Midnapore Medical College and Hospital (MMCH). The deaths are reportedly linked to the administration of expired intravenous fluid, prompting immediate action by the state government.
A memo was sent out by the health department to all Chief Medical Officers and medical college principals, instructing them to halt the use of Compound Sodium Lactate Injection (RL) supplied by Pashchim Banga Pharmaceutical Pvt Ltd.
The memo further emphasized that any existing stock of the fluid should be withdrawn from wards and hospitals and securely stored.
In a separate directive, the department ordered that postgraduate students must not perform any surgical or anesthetic procedures independently. Faculty members from anesthesiology, obstetrics and gynecology, general surgery, orthopedics, ophthalmology, and ENT departments have been instructed to supervise all surgical procedures, ensuring senior oversight in every case.
The West Bengal state government has taken swift action by ordering both a Criminal Investigation Department (CID) probe and an administrative investigation into the matter. A 13-member expert team from SSKM Hospital, after reviewing the incident, found "serious negligence" by the staff on duty at MMCH, leading to the critical situation.
Three new mothers who were affected by the incident have been transferred to SSKM Hospital for advanced treatment. Mampi Singh (23) and Nasrin Khatun (19) are on ventilation support and are currently receiving care in the Critical Care Unit (CCU) and Intensive Therapy Unit (ITU), respectively. Minara Bibi, another affected mother, is also receiving medical attention.
The tragic incident has sparked protests from junior doctors, led by Debasish Halder, a prominent member of the West Bengal Junior Doctors Front. Halder expressed frustration over the failure to address concerns regarding RL saline and the misuse of oxytocin in new mothers. He questioned why the administration took no action despite repeated warnings from medical professionals.
During a press briefing, Chief Secretary Manoj Pant acknowledged the negligence on the part of MMCH staff. The state government has promised to take strict action against those responsible, with investigations underway to determine the full scope of the situation. Halder also criticized the Health Secretary for not taking preventive steps earlier, calling for accountability in light of the preventable tragedy.
(Input from various sources)
(Rh/Dr. Sreelekshmi P/MSM)