Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced the suspension of Drug Controller Umesh S for dereliction of duty following recent maternal deaths at Ballari District Hospital.
Addressing a high-level meeting at Vidhana Soudha on Saturday evening, the CM stated that the West Bengal-based pharma company (Paschim Banga Pharmaceutical) that supplied the Ringer Lactate solution to Karnataka State Medical Supplies Corporation would be blacklisted, and prosecution would be initiated against it.
The government had already announced compensation of Rs 2 lakh for the deceased, with further instructions to collect compensation from the company for the victim's family.
An Expert Committee, led by the Development Secretary, has been formed to investigate maternal deaths in hospitals across Karnataka. The committee is tasked with submitting a report within a week.
"All batches of Ringer lactate solution given to the pregnant women have been withdrawn and the solution used at the Ballari District Hospital has been sent to the laboratory for testing. It was decided to form an expert committee under the chairmanship of the Development Secretary to investigate such deaths that have occurred in various hospitals in the state and submit a report within a week. In addition, it has been directed to submit a proposal in the next cabinet meeting regarding the drug procurement process and restructuring of the Drug Control Department on the Tamil Nadu model,'' the Chief Minister said.
The CM emphasized taking precautionary measures to prevent future incidents and ensuring accountability once the laboratory report is received. Additionally, disciplinary actions have been ordered against the Drug Controller, and a proposal to tighten the Drug Control Act will be submitted to the Central government.
Pregnant Women Dead After C-Section
Cesarean surgery was conducted on 14 pregnant women at Bellari District Hospital on November 9. Among them, at least seven women developed health complications and in a week, four of them succumbed. The deceased were identified as Lalitamma, Rojamma, Nandini and Muskaan.
In a statement on Friday, the Karnataka health department said that the seven patients developed complications such as acute kidney injury requiring haemodialysis and multi-organ dysfunction. Of the three who survived, two have been discharged from the hospital and one is recovering at Vijayanagar Institute of Medical Sciences (VIMS), Ballari, it stated.
Deaths 'Due To Substandard Ringer Lactate Solution'
The Karnataka Health said the maternal deaths in Ballari are suspected to be due to the use of substandard ringer lactate solution. The solution is administered intravenously to restore hydration and fluid balance in the body.
"There was a confidential review of the maternal deaths conducted by a team of specialists doctors constituted by the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences at the behest of the principal secretary of health and Family Welfare. On perusal of the report, it is evident that there has been no negligence or dereliction of duty by the team at District Hospital, Ballari," the Health department said in the statement.
Citing the report, the officials said necessary protocols and guidelines for patient care, caesarean section procedure, recognition of complications and management were satisfactorily performed. Despite the best team effort at the post-operative ward, ICU and dialysis unit of the District Hospital and VIMS Ballari, four patients could not be saved, they said.
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