A 30-year-old woman died and four others are in critical condition after undergoing cesarean deliveries at Midnapore Medical College and Hospital (MMCH), allegedly due to the administration of expired intravenous (IV) fluids.
The tragic incident has led to widespread outrage, political protests, and a full-scale investigation by the West Bengal health department.
The deceased, Mamoni Ruidas, a resident of Garbeta in West Midnapore, died on Friday, two days after delivering a baby boy. Her family has alleged gross medical negligence, claiming that the Ringer’s Lactate (RL) solution administered to her was past its expiry date.
Her husband, Debasish Ruidas, filed a police complaint at the Kotwali police station, accusing the hospital staff of negligence. He recounted that soon after the IV fluid was administered, Mamoni’s health began to deteriorate. “Shortly after saline was administered, Mamoni’s urination stopped, and she complained of discomfort. Her condition worsened, and by Friday, she had passed away,” he said, inconsolably.
Four other women, who underwent cesarean deliveries around the same time, remain on ventilators in the hospital’s intensive care unit (ICU). Relatives of these patients have also raised concerns, linking the sudden deterioration in health to the same IV fluids.
Hospital sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, revealed that samples of the Ringer’s Lactate solution have been collected for testing. Preliminary investigations suggest that the IV fluid may have been toxic due to its expiry.
The fluids were reportedly supplied by a company based in North Dinajpur’s Chopra, which had been blacklisted by the Karnataka government in 2022 for producing substandard medical products. The West Bengal government had also issued directives to avoid using the company’s supplies.
In response to the incident, the state health department has formed a 13-member investigative committee to probe the matter. Health secretary Narayan Swarup Nigam confirmed that a report has been sought from the hospital authorities.
“We are taking the matter very seriously. Samples of the IV fluid have been sent for analysis, and a detailed report is awaited from the drug control department. The investigation team will visit the hospital to ascertain lapses and recommend further action,” Nigam said.
The baby delivered by Mamoni Ruidas is currently under observation at MMCH.