SSKM, other Bengal hospitals reportedly use banned saline despite Health Dept ban

The death of a pregnant woman at Medinipur Medical College, reportedly caused by contaminated saline from a banned company, has sparked major concerns in West Bengal. The Health Department had previously issued a ban on several products from West Bengal Pharmaceuticals, the company linked to the fatal incident, following safety issues with its saline solutions. Despite this ban, multiple hospitals in the state continue to report the use of the banned saline, raising serious questions about the enforcement of safety measures in government healthcare facilities.

The incident at Medinipur Medical College came to light on Friday when it was reported that the contaminated saline had led to the death of a pregnant woman. Investigations revealed that the same company’s saline had been involved in the deaths of four pregnant women in Karnataka in November. In response to these incidents, the state’s health officials inspected the company’s factory, leading to the imposition of a ban on 14 products manufactured by the company. Additionally, these products were blacklisted on the state portal to prevent further procurement by hospitals.

Following the Medinipur death, the Health Secretary of West Bengal, Narayanaswarup Nigam, confirmed that letters had been sent to all state hospitals, instructing them to cease the use of the banned company’s products, including any existing stock. Despite these official directives, it has been reported that hospitals, including SSKM Hospital, Diamond Harbour Medical College, and Bankura Sammilani Medical College, continued using the banned saline as of Friday evening. The Health Department had specifically directed hospitals to stop using the affected products and instructed them to remove any remaining stock from their facilities.

Hospitals and medical professionals have raised concerns over the ongoing use of the banned products, citing challenges with the enforcement of the ban. The doctors’ association has demanded a high-level judicial inquiry into the matter, emphasizing the need for accountability and transparency in how the banned products are still circulating in the healthcare system. Although some hospitals, like Diamond Harbour Medical College, have claimed compliance with the directive, reports indicate that other hospitals have not fully adhered to the ban, putting patients at further risk.

The Health Department’s continued efforts to address the issue have focused on removing all affected products from circulation. However, the persistence of banned saline in hospitals indicates potential lapses in regulatory enforcement. The Health Department has emphasized the importance of adhering to the ban, but the continued use of the toxic saline in several hospitals calls into question the effectiveness of the measures implemented to protect public health.