Synopsis
On January 17, doctors at a state-run hospital in West Midnapore, West Bengal, initiated a partial work stoppage to protest the suspension of 12 colleagues. This action followed the tragic deaths of a woman and her newborn, allegedly linked to expired medical supplies.Key Takeaways
- Protest initiated by doctors over suspensions.
- 12 doctors suspended for alleged negligence.
- Expired Ringer’s Lactate linked to deaths.
- Chief Minister defended the supplier.
- Emergency services remain operational during the strike.
Kolkata, Jan 17 (NationPress) A partial work stoppage by both junior and senior doctors commenced at the state-funded hospital in the West Midnapore district of West Bengal on Friday as a form of protest against the suspension of 12 doctors.
The 12 doctors faced suspension following the tragic deaths of a woman and her newborn in the hospital, which were reportedly linked to the administration of expired Ringer’s Lactate.
The woman, Mamoni Ruidas, passed away on January 10, whereas the newborn succumbed on Thursday morning.
Public outrage has surged over the allegations that the deaths were due to the administration of expired Ringer’s Lactate supplied by the blacklisted company Paschim Banga Pharmaceuticals Private Limited. Nonetheless, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee provided a virtual exoneration of the company while announcing the suspension of the 12 doctors, shifting the blame entirely onto them for the incidents.
The protesting medical staff have made it clear that the work stoppage will persist until the suspension of the 12 doctors—which includes six juniors and six seniors—is lifted. However, they are ensuring that the emergency and outpatient department (OPD) at the West Midnapore hospital remains operational.
Among those suspended are the medical superintendent-cum-vice-principal and the resident medical officer of the hospital.
During the announcement of the suspensions, Chief Minister Banerjee argued that the negligence of the hospital's doctors was primarily responsible for the tragedies, rather than the Ringer’s Lactate solution itself. She stated, “If that were true, we would see similar incidents in other hospitals using the same solution. This was purely a case of negligence. Remember, negligence is a form of crime.”
The state health secretary, Narayan Swarup Nigam, mentioned that following the incident, the batches of solutions provided by the same supplier are undergoing re-examination. He stated, “All I can confirm is that the batches sent for use were thoroughly tested multiple times before being approved. They will be re-evaluated according to standard operating protocol.”
