Synopsis
On January 17, the Service Doctors' Forum requested Governor C.V. Ananda Bose to initiate a judicial inquiry regarding the deaths of a woman and her newborn at a West Midnapore medical facility, allegedly due to expired Ringer's Lactate administration. The SDF opposes the suspension of 12 doctors involved, attributing the blame to a blacklisted supplier.Key Takeaways
- Judicial inquiry sought by SDF.
- 12 doctors suspended amid controversy.
- Expired saline linked to fatalities.
- SDF claims suspension diverts attention.
- Chief Minister's defense of supplier questioned.
Kolkata, Jan 17 (NationPress) The Service Doctors' Forum (SDF), a collective of medical professionals in West Bengal, approached Governor C.V. Ananda Bose on Friday to request his involvement in launching a judicial investigation into the fatalities of a woman and an infant at a state-operated medical center in West Midnapore district. This incident allegedly occurred after they were given expired Ringer's Lactate intravenous fluid.
In a written communication, the SDF has expressed its disapproval of the West Bengal government’s decision to suspend 12 doctors from the facility.
The SDF argues that the suspension aims to shift focus from the actual cause of the deaths, which they claim resulted from the use of expired Ringer’s Lactate provided by a blacklisted supplier, Paschim Banga Pharmaceuticals Private Limited.
According to the post-mortem report of the deceased woman, Mamoni Ruidas, who passed away on January 10, it is evident that her death was linked to the negative effects of the saline or medication administered. In this context, they believe the suspension of the 12 doctors serves to misdirect attention from the primary issue.
An SDF representative stated, 'I find it bewildering how the state government concluded that doctor negligence was the cause of this incident. We strongly condemn the doctors' suspension and demand its immediate retraction. If any negligence occurred, it is the state health department that should be held accountable.'
On Thursday, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee virtually exonerated the supplier and announced the suspension of the 12 doctors, placing the blame solely on them.
'If that were the case, we would have seen similar incidents in other hospitals using the same solution. This case is fundamentally different and is a clear instance of negligence. Remember, negligence constitutes a crime,' the Chief Minister remarked during a press conference on Thursday.
State health secretary, Narayan Swarup Nigam, noted that following the incident, the batches of solutions provided by the same supplier are being re-evaluated in line with standard operating protocols.
'I assure you that all batches sent for use were meticulously tested multiple times before distribution. These batches will undergo further testing as per standard operating protocols,' the state health secretary stated.
