Bengal saline row: One postpartum woman passes away after 4 months of treatment in Kolkata

Nasrin Khatun, one of the four postpartum women who became critically ill after allegedly receiving a banned saline solution at Midnapore Medical College and Hospital (MMCH) in January, passed away on Sunday night at the IPGMER SSKM Hospital in Kolkata.

 

A major controversy erupted in West Bengal when one woman died on January 10 and four others fell seriously ill following caesarean deliveries at MMCH.

It was alleged that the women had been administered Ringer’s Lactate saline manufactured by a blacklisted company, Paschim Banga Pharmaceuticals Limited.

 

Nasrin, along with two other patients Mampi Singh and Minara Bibi, was transferred to SSKM Hospital through a green corridor arranged by the state health department. A fourth woman remained under treatment at the Paschim Medinipur facility.

 

While Singh and Bibi eventually recovered and were discharged, Nasrin’s condition worsened. She reportedly died of multiple organ failure after being unable to undergo dialysis.

 

Nasrin’s family told local media that she had shown signs of improvement and had been moved to a general ward ten days prior to her death. She was supposed to be discharged and return home on Saturday.

 

However, her health suddenly deteriorated on Friday night, marked by seizures and vomiting, and by Sunday night, her kidneys had failed.

 

The saline controversy had caused a major political uproar in West Bengal. However, the state government had denied that the crisis was caused by the banned saline. Health Secretary Narayan Swaroop Nigam claimed the saline batch sent to MMCH had passed quality checks.

 

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee stated that negligence of doctors led to the crisis. She had said, “Individuals lacking the skills to perform caesarean surgeries were entrusted with the task, and those untrained in administering anesthesia were assigned that responsibility.”

 

Consequently, the state suspended 12 doctors, including the residential medical officer (RMO) of MMCH and HOD of the gynaecology department.

 

Six junior doctors were also suspended, though their suspension was later revoked by CM Banerjee, who also serves as the state’s health minister. She stated that the junior doctors had been placed in roles beyond their training and should not have been held responsible.

India