Service Doctors Forum seeks Governor's inquiry into Medinipur death, alleges wrongful blame on doctors

The Service Doctors Forum has approached the Governor of West Bengal, formally requesting a judicial inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the death of a woman during childbirth at Medinipur Medical College. The forum claims that the medical staff are being unjustly blamed for the death, which they assert was caused by poisoning from saline or medication, rather than negligence. The forum has raised concerns about an apparent effort to shift the responsibility from the actual cause to the doctors involved in the case.

According to the autopsy report from Medinipur Medical College, the woman’s death was attributed to poisoning, potentially caused by saline or drugs administered during her treatment. The Service Doctors Forum has stated that there is no evidence of medical negligence and that the cause of death is being misrepresented. The forum has called for a thorough and impartial judicial investigation to accurately determine the cause of death, urging that the focus be placed on the real factors contributing to the incident.

Simultaneously, the West Bengal Pharmaceutical Company, which provided the saline used in the woman's treatment, has been cleared of any wrongdoing. A report from the Mumbai-based drug testing laboratory confirmed that the saline sample met all necessary standards and contained no harmful substances. Additionally, a joint inspection conducted by both state and central authorities in December found no issues with the saline batch in question. The clean report from these tests contradicts earlier claims that the saline was substandard.

The controversy surrounding the quality of the saline arose after the Karnataka government accused the company of supplying substandard products, prompting an investigation by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO). However, the findings from the Mumbai lab and the subsequent inspections by state and central authorities have cleared the company of any allegations. The Health Department of West Bengal has submitted the lab reports to the Kolkata High Court for further review. These developments are expected to play a significant role in clarifying the situation surrounding the incident at Medinipur Medical College.