A judicial panel probing the death of 13 women at government-run sterilisation camps in Chhattisgarh’s Bilaspur district cited gross medical negligence, administration of substandard and poisonous drugs, and violation of standard guidelines as factors responsible for the 2014 tragedy that left 100 other women serious ill.
The report was tabled in the state assembly on Wednesday.
The commission headed by retired district and session judge Anita Jha pointed out the serious violations of standard operating procedure and guidelines outlined for sterilisation surgery in camps.
According to the commission, the doctors ignored the prescribed guidelines before proceeding for the operation.
“Owing to non-compliance of standard procedures, the symptoms of infection spread among the women who were operated,” the report stated.
Taking all evidences into account, the panel concluded that contaminated drugs were used for sterilisation.
Fixing the responsibility, the commission identified the main surgeon, the then Takathpur block medical officer and doctor of Gaurella community health centre, besides Mahawar Pharma and Kavita Pharma, the manufacturing firm and the supplier respectively of the contaminated drugs, culpable.
“Strict action would be taken against the officials and doctors found guilty. The manufacturers and suppliers of substandard and contaminated drugs would also be prosecuted,” the health and parliamentary affairs minister Ajay Chandrakar told HT on Wednesday.
{{/usCountry}}“Strict action would be taken against the officials and doctors found guilty. The manufacturers and suppliers of substandard and contaminated drugs would also be prosecuted,” the health and parliamentary affairs minister Ajay Chandrakar told HT on Wednesday.
{{/usCountry}}Case file
13 women died and 100 were admitted at different hospitals following mass sterilisation at govt-organised camps last year
Victims showed signs of toxic shock, possibly caused by dirty surgical tools or soiled medicines
Dr RK Gupta is accused of operating on more than 80 women in six hours with two assistants in an abandoned private hospital
This was a breach of government norms, which limits number of such operations to 30 a day.