Opposition parties launched a virulent attack on the Mamata Banerjee government on Saturday posing uncomfortable questions on the state of healthcare in Bengal after it became almost evident that a new mother died at the Midnapore Medical College and Hospital after she was administered banned and expired saline.

Suvendu Adhikari, the leader of the Opposition, demanded a thorough probe by central agencies to determine whether the supplying company of the banned intravenous "ringer lactate," commonly known as sodium lactate solution, had any links with the ruling Trinamool Congress and had access to the state-run healthcare facilities.

"A proper investigation should be launched by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) and the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) to find out if this firm flourished by flouting any norms and if its nexus with the ruling party of WB has helped them gain access to the State run facilities," Adhikari wrote on his X handle.

Mamani Ruidas, 30, died and eight others fell critically ill after being administered the particular saline at the West Midnapore hospital.

The health department formed a 13-member team without any delay and it reached the hospital on Saturday morning to investigate the cause of the death and assess whether the saline used was toxic. The quick response from the government did little to dissuade the Opposition from attacking the health department.

Adhikari's social media post made it clear that the BJP had begun drawing up plans to embarrass the Mamata government on its "poor" track record in the healthcare sector.

"The RG Kar incident clearly showed that the health system in the state had broken down. Trinamool never misses a chance to use corruption as a weapon, whether it’s medical waste or saline," BJP Rajya Sabha member Samik Bhattacharya said.

BJP leader Shanku Deb Panda said: "The company supplying the Ringer Lactate is run by a group of doctors affiliated with the TMC's north Bengal doctors' lobby."

Adhikari raised questions about how the saline, manufactured by Paschim Banga Pharmaceutical Limited, was allowed to be used in state-run hospitals, despite being banned by the Karnataka government. The ban followed the deaths of four pregnant women in Ballari district hospital in November, with the saline suspected to be the cause.

"Even after, the West Bengal Health Department having banned the use of Ringer’s Lactated (RL) saline and 14 other essential medical items; procured from "Paschim Banga Pharmaceutical Ltd" following the directive of Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI), the information was either not updated in the Store Management Information System of the WB Health Department or the authorities didn't act sincerely, resulting in the loss of life of the one day old mother at the Medinipur Medical College," he wrote on his X handle.

Prasanta Biswas, the deputy director of health in charge of the central medicine store (CMS), when contacted to explain how the particular fluid was allowed to be used in the government facility, responded: "I am very busy in a meeting at Swastha Bhavan and can't talk."

The CPM questioned the capability of chief minister Mamata Banerjee to oversee the health department.

"After RG Kar, it is once again proven that the government health system has completely collapsed. A serious department like health should be managed independently by a minister, not the chief minister, who has become a part-timer for the department. The repeated health issues show that the chief minister is not capable of running the department. Why wouldn't she be responsible for such malpractice, alongside the health secretary and his team?" CPM leader Sujan Chakraborty asked.

The CPI(ML) Liberation threatened to launch a state-wide movement against the health department's failure to save the life of the newborn's mom.

From the morning, supporters of the CPM and its youth and student wings, assembled near the hospital and tried to enter the campus, which resulted in a scuffle at the gate.

Trinamool tried to put up a brave face. "The government has already started an investigation. The BJP should also consider the healthcare situation in BJP-ruled states, and the CPM should not forget about the scams in the health sector during their tenure," said TMC leader Kunal Ghosh.