Kolkata, Jan 11 (IANS): A fresh controversy has erupted over the competence of the West Bengal health department following the death of a pregnant woman at Medinipur Medical College and Hospital, allegedly due to the administration of expired Ringer’s Lactated (RL) saline. The BJP has strongly criticized the state government over the incident.

According to reports, five pregnant women fell critically ill on Friday after they were administered the expired saline. One of them, Mamoni Ruidas (25), passed away the same day, while the other four remain in critical condition as of Saturday afternoon.

Among the four, two are on ventilation, one is in the Critical Care Unit (CCU), and another is in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the hospital. Reports indicate that their conditions have not yet stabilised.

The incident has raised serious concerns, especially as the expired RL saline allegedly came from Paschim Banga Pharmaceutical Limited, a company earlier banned by the Karnataka government and later by West Bengal.

Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, has claimed that the firm was responsible for supplying the expired saline.

The state health department has formed a 13-member inquiry committee to investigate how expired saline was administered to these patients.

Adhikari has demanded a thorough investigation by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) and the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO). He has also called for an inquiry into whether the firm bypassed regulations and gained access to state-run facilities due to alleged links with the ruling party in West Bengal.

This incident has revived concerns over similar cases in the state’s healthcare system. Notably, in a recent case of financial irregularities at R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, its former principal, Sandip Ghosh, was accused of encouraging the use of expired and ineffective drugs on patients for personal financial gains.