Bengal saline death case: Autopsy report points to multi-organ failure, Septicemia

Kolkata: The post-mortem report of the pregnant woman who died at the Midnapore Medical College and Hospital on January 10, allegedly after being administered expired Ringer's Lactate, has hinted towards multi-organ failure and septicemia as the primary reason behind her death. 

Sources aware of the development said the initial post-mortem report has also pointed out the existence of toxic body fluid within her body, news agency IANS reported.

This finding has raised the question of whether besides saline the victim was also administered with oxytocin to keep the impact of the toxic body fluid under control.

Already two parallel probes are being conducted in the matter, the first by a committee formed by the state health department and the second by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the state police.

Last week five women had fallen sick at the said state-run medical college and hospital in West Midnapore district allegedly after being administered with expired Ringer’s lactate. One of the women died in the hospital.

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The other four women were then kept under treatment at the critical care unit and intensive care units of the same hospital. Three of them had to be shifted to state-run S.S.K.M Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata following sharp deteriorations in their medical conditions.

The incident raised serious concerns, especially as the expired RL saline allegedly came from Paschim Banga Pharmaceutical (TADAWUL:2070) Limited, a company earlier banned by the Karnataka government and later by the West Bengal government.

Following this, the state health department directed the medical superintendents-cum-vice principals of all medical colleges and hospitals and all the chief medical officers of the districts “to ensure total stoppage of the existing stock of Compound Sodium Lactate Injection (RL) supplied by Paschim Banga Pharmaceuticals Pvt. Ltd in his/her jurisdiction.

According to an IANS report, later, the state government also directed the removal of stocks of all medicines supplied by the said company from all healthcare entities in the state.

This incident has revived concerns over similar cases in the state’s healthcare system.

Notably, in a recent case of financial irregularities at R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, its former principal, Sandip Ghosh, was accused of encouraging the use of expired and ineffective drugs on patients for personal financial gains.

Medical Dialogues recently reported that amid the controversy over the death of a new mother, who was given expired intravenous fluid, the West Bengal Health Department has issued a memo to all Chief Medical Officers of Health in the districts and principals of all medical colleges to stop using Ringer's Lactate (RL) saline. Apart from this, the department, in a separate notice, specified that post-graduate students should not conduct surgical or anaesthetic procedures by themselves.

Also Read:Bengal Expired Saline Death Case: Calcutta HC to hear PILs on January 16