Three young mothers battling for life at the Midnapore Medical College and Hospital after being administered a banned solution, which is suspected to have killed another patient on Friday, were transferred to SSKM Hospital in Calcutta on Sunday evening via a green corridor.

The hospital shift came as the state government scurried to play it safe amid Opposition protests outside the Midnapore hospital and calls for chief minister Mamata Banerjee to resign as health minister. Relatives of the three patients alleged being kept in the dark about the shift till the last minute, suggesting a hurried decision.

Sources said the trio were moved on the advice of the health department-appointed team investigating the death of a postpartum woman, Mamoni Ruidas, at the Midnapore hospital on Friday. Mamoni had been administered the Ringer’s lactate intravenous solution, manufactured by a North Dinajpur-based company, that the state government had banned on December 10, sources have said.

Mampi Singh, 23, Nasrin Khatun, 19, and Minara Bibi, 31, too had fallen critically ill after being given the same solution on Friday, as had a fourth woman who has since got better.

Ambulances carrying the three women left Midnapore around 7.15pm and arrived at SSKM, about 125km away, around 9.30pm, the green corridor saving about 45 minutes of travel.

However, the decision to shift the three to Calcutta initially sparked anger among their relatives, who said they had not been informed.

Minara Bibi’s brother, Sheikh Intaj Ali, said: “We had not been told anything about her being taken from Midnapore to Calcutta. Only when three ambulances arrived in front of the ICU building did we realise they were being taken to Calcutta.”

Ambulances outside the Midnapore College and Hospital to take the ailing mothers to Calcutta. Picture by Saikat Santra

The families eventually gave their consent and travelled to Calcutta in separate vehicles.

West Midnapore chief health officer Soumya Shankar Sarangi said: “Three women were sent to SSKM Hospital in Calcutta through the green corridor from Midnapore Medical College Hospital. The health department is looking into providing them with the best possible treatment.”

Government sources claimed the 13-member probe team had expressed doubt whether the banned Ringer’s lactate IV solution was “the sole cause of the death”. They said the team was waiting for drug test reports to confirm the exact reason behind the death and illnesses.

However, the administration of a banned solution is itself a cause for concern. Health department officials had on Saturday confirmed that the banned solution had continued to be administered to young mothers at various hospitals in Bengal.

On Friday, 30-year-old Mamoni of Garbeta died shortly after delivering a boy and following the administration of the Ringer’s lactate.

The Bengal government had banned the Ringer’s lactate IV solution manufactured by the Chopra-based company after the Karnataka government did so following the death of four young mothers who had been administered the firm’s intravenous solution.

Amid revelations that many healthcare facilities in Bengal had not implemented the ban, the state government on Saturday announced a fresh ban on this solution and nine other injections and fluids produced by the company.

A high-level meeting was held at SSKM for two hours on Sunday where doubts were raised about the exact cause of Mamoni’s death and the others’ illnesses, sources said.

The West Midnapore chief health officer said: “The (probe) report has not been submitted yet. Our only concern now is to ensure the other women recover.”

Health secretary N.S. Nigam said: “A high-level meeting was held. The doctor team and medical board have met. They will decide the course of treatment.”

Sources at the state health directorate indicated that the government was prioritising the issue, buffeted by increasing Opposition criticism of the healthcare system since a junior doctor was raped and murdered at RG Kar Hospital on August 9.

“The government doesn’t want a repeat of the RG Kar protests and has moved the women to Calcutta to ensure they receive the best care,” a senior official said.

At the Midnapore hospital, samples are being collected from the other women patients who have fallen ill following the administration of the Ringer’s lactate solution, and biopsies are being conducted on them.

“It is being examined whether there is a connection between the oxytocin injection given after delivery and the Ringer’s lactate,” a doctor said, without elaborating.

“We are also investigating whether any chemical reaction occurred because the Ringer’s lactate had been stored in boxes for an extended period.”

The CPM’s youth and student wings protested in front of the Midnapore hospital, demanding stern action against those responsible for Mamoni’s death.

The party’s youth wing state secretary, Minakshi Mukherjee, led the protests, which involved locking the hospital superintendent’s already locked chamber and blocking roads for some time.

“Unless the roots of the corruption tied to the collusion between the police, administration and the health department are uprooted, fake medicines will continue to infiltrate Bengal’s medical colleges,” Mukherjee said.

She also raised questions about the handling of the corruption cases relating to the healthcare system that came up as part of the RG Karcontroversy.

“Why can’t the police act against corruption? Are higher authorities stopping them, or are they conducting investigations as they deem fit?”she asked.

The BJP too carried out demonstrations.