The Calcutta High Court on Thursday ordered the West Bengal government to provide compensation to the families of the victims who were allegedly administered expired Ringer’s Lactate saline in the Midnapore Medical College and Hospital, in Paschim Medinipur, last Friday, leaving one dead and three in critical condition. The deceased was identified as Mamoni Das (21), while the three new mothers, who are critical, were shifted to SSKM hospital on Sunday night.
The court directed the state to “adequately compensate” the family of the woman who died.
Meanwhile, the state health department has already ordered the removal of the health special secretary to the state Chaitali Chakraborty.
A division bench of Chief Justice T S Sivagnanam and Justice Hirnamay Bhattacharya has sought a report over what action has been taken against the saline supplier company and why it took “so long after the incident” to stop its usage. The state counsel submitted that an expert team of 13 doctors has been formed to conduct an investigation into the lapses and CID has been asked to probe the matter, following which the division bench ordered the state to submit a report on the progress of the investigation.
The report, which is to be submitted by Chief Secretary Manoj Pant, “should elaborate on the details of actions” taken against the Ringer’s Lactate supplying entity Paschim Banga Pharmaceuticals Pvt Ltd, which was blacklisted first by the Karnataka government and subsequently by the West Bengal government, the court said.
The bench observed that it is “rather disturbing” to know that despite an order passed by the licensing and controlling authority of Siliguri regional office, Drug Controller, Bengal, on December 10, directing the pharmaceutical company to stop manufacturing activities till further orders, no action was taken immediately. On December 10, Bengal drug authorities had pasted a notice on the gate of the company’s Chopra factory saying the facility had been asked to stop manufacturing drugs till further orders.
On Monday, two PILs were moved in the Chief Justice’s division bench against the use of Ringer Lactate saline, seeking a CBI probe. Hearing two PILs, the court directed the matter be heard again on January 30.
— WITH PTI