In response to the West Bengal Chief Secretary’s comments regarding a case in which patients were given expired saline, resulting in the death of one woman and the serious conditions of three others, the Joint Platform of Doctors (JPD) in West Bengal released a statement on January 14, 2025. According to the Chief Secretary, an initial investigation revealed that physicians may have contributed to the tragedy by failing to follow Standard Operating Procedure (SOP). The JPD, however, voiced concern that the emphasis on physicians was an effort to deflect attention from the administration of saline that had expired and the structural corruption in the healthcare system.
The JPD brought attention to the pervasive problem of counterfeit medications and the administration’s protracted inaction on the matter. Since they think that these corrupt practices are the result of a political and bureaucratic conspiracy, they underlined the necessity of a judicial probe to guarantee transparency in the investigation. Additionally, a number of medical professionals, including Dr. Tapas Pramanick of Kolkata’s R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, questioned the Criminal Investigation Department’s (CID) role in the investigation. They maintained that a medical team, like those from AIIMS, should look into any procedural mistakes or negligence instead of law enforcement.
The use of the contentious Ringer’s Lactate (RL) saline, which may have contributed to the deaths because of contamination or the presence of contaminants like oxytocin, was another issue brought up by Dr. Pramanick. The woman passed away from septic shock with multi-organ failure, according to the post-mortem report, which raises the possibility that the saline caused an infection.
The West Bengal Health Department responded to the situation by admitting its error and pledging to take firm action. According to Chief Secretary Manoj Pant, such operations normally require a senior physician; but, in this instance, trainees were involved, which might have contributed to the SOP violations. Samples of medications have been sent by the department for additional analysis.
Additionally, the state government has prohibited all medical schools and hospitals from using RL and nine other fluids made by Paschim Banga Pharmaceuticals, the company that supplied the stale saline. The goal of this action is to protect patient safety and stop more instances. Controversy surrounding the case has brought attention to the state’s healthcare system and the need for stricter oversight.
SOURCE :
THE HINDU
