Maternal deaths: Lokayukta delegation reaches Bellary hospital
The team checked the maternity ward, the intensive care unit (ICU), the medicine storage at BIMS Hospital and seized relevant documents.
A team of more than 25 Lokayukta officers led by Bellary Lokayukta SP S Siddaraju on Saturday inspected the Bellary Institute of Medical sciences (BIMS) Hospital in connection with the death of five pregnant women in one month after giving birth.
The team checked the maternity ward, the intensive care unit (ICU), the medicine storage at BIMS Hospital and seized relevant documents.
The fifth patient who died on Thursday was identified as Summayya Abdul (25). Her death occurred after she was allegedly administered a banned intravenous glucose solution. Summayya’s family claimed that her health deteriorated after she gave birth to a baby girl on November 22.
“The state Lokayukta BS Patil has registered a suo moto case in connection with the unnatural deaths of these women post pregnancy,” Siddaraju told HT.
“The lokayukta issued a search warrant to us and we inspected and seized the medical history documents of the five women. All the information gathered will be sent to the Bengaluru Lokayukta office on Monday. We have also collected the samples of IV and RL fluid medicines in the day-long investigation,” he added.
Four Lokayukta officials are also seeking information about the reason behind the illness of the pregnant women.
Sources told that an order has also been issued to register a case against the officials involved in the deaths. It has been directed to register a case against the principal secretary of the health and family welfare department, principal secretary of the medical education department, drug controller and managing director of Karnataka State Medical Supplies Limited, senior officials of the Bellary Government Hospital, all district magistrates and health officers in the state.
While expressing their grief over the deaths, the state BJP lashed out at the ruling Karnataka government, demanding a thorough investigation in the case.
In addition, a delegation comprising BJP legislative council opposition leader Chalavadi Narayanaswamy and MLA CK Ramamurthy and MLC Ravikumar visited the Lokayukta office in Bengaluru on Thursday.
Speaking to reporters Union minister Prahlad Joshi said, “Siddaramaiah, who spoke extensively about Bellary when he entered politics, has failed to address the issue effectively. Even though the central government has approved the IV solution sample, why has this problem not occurred in neighbouring states? Is there a Congress government in Telangana? Why has this issue not arisen there?”
He further criticised health minister Dinesh Gundu Rao, stating that he has completely failed in his responsibilities. “The health minister has only been running behind the chief minister. None of the ministers have visited the affected area, despite the chief minister’s instruction,” he added.