Authorities of the North Bengal Medical College & Hospital (NBMCH) — the largest state-run hospital in north Bengal — had alerted the state health department in Calcutta around four months back that the saline (Ringer lactate IV) manufactured and supplied by Paschimbanga Pharmaceuticals caused side-effects among several female patients.
“Ahead of last year’s Durga Puja, we found that some patients, who were given the saline (Ringer lactate), showed certain reactions. As it was supplied by only one company across the state (Paschimbanga Pharmaceuticals), we informed Swasthya Bhavan (about the reactions exhibited by patients),” said Sanjay Kumar Mallick, the medical superintendent–cum–vice principal of the NBMCH on Saturday.
The NBMCH authorities have been administering other forms of saline to their patients, not Ringer lactate.
“Earlier this week, we received an order from the state health department saying that the products supplied by this company cannot be administered to patients,” he said.
Many doctors wondered if the order came too late.
A senior doctor based in Siliguri pointed out that if the health department had stopped use of the saline made by Paschimbanga Pharmaceuticals after last year’s alert by the NBMCH, the 30-year-old new mother in Midnapore would not have died on Friday.
As Mamani Ruidas’s death because of Ringer lactate produced by Paschimbanga Pharmaceuticals surfaced, its factory at Tinmilehat in Sonapur area of Uttar Dinajpur district is on everyone’s lips.
In December last year, the drug control authorities of the Karnataka government along with a team from the Bengal government, raided the factory in Tinmilehat as six women in Karnataka had died after being treated with saline made by the company.
“They raided the factory from December 4 to 6. On December 10, an order was issued by the state to stop production at the factory,” said a source.
The order has been pasted outside the factory.
A resident of Tinmilehat, however, wondered why several motorcycles were parked outside the factory and sounds of machinery were heard regularly. “We know there are people inside. We doubt if production has indeed stopped,” he said.
A senior representative of a trade body based in Siliguri and privy to the company and its functioning, said: “Production has stopped at the unit. However, some people stay inside the factory for the sake of the security ofits infrastructure.”
The company, a unit of Farista Vanijya Private Limited, has its office at Burdwan Road in Siliguri town.
The office was closed on Saturday.
Sources said three persons, two of whom are residents of Khalpara in Siliguri, ownthe company.
“All three are absconding as of now, as they fear being arrested following the woman’s death in Midnapore and the uproar surrounding it,” said a source.