The West Bengal government on Thursday suspended 12 doctors from Midnapore Medical College and Hospital (MMCH), marking its largest single-episode suspension in the health department. A CID investigation has been launched to probe alleged “criminal negligence” in the death of a 32-year-old woman, Mamoni Ruidas, who succumbed to septic shock 12 hours after giving birth via Caesarean section.
The action comes eight days after Ruidas’s death, which occurred alongside complications in four other new mothers following C-sections. Three of them required critical care at SSKM Hospital. Among the suspended are MMCH’s vice-principal, the head of gynecology, and four senior doctors.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee described the incident as “shocking, unacceptable, and avoidable,” and pledged a government job for one of Ruidas’s family members and ₹5 lakh compensation. An FIR was filed at Kotwali police station on Thursday.
Negligence and Procedural Lapses Identified
Preliminary findings from a 13-member panel and CID highlighted multiple procedural lapses, including:
- Surgeons and senior staff failing to attend patients.
- Surgeries performed by assistants with minimal oversight.
- Anesthesia administered by a postgraduate trainee without proper protocol.
- Poor sterilization practices and OT gowning violations.
As reported by TOI, the CM noted that a senior doctor, meant to be at MMCH, was found working at a private nursing home. “Doctors left surgeries to trainees and were engaged in private practice instead. This negligence must be addressed,” she said.
Banerjee also raised concerns over the use of Ringer’s lactate (RL) saline. While the batch was previously tested and cleared, she questioned whether it could have worsened patient conditions. All RL batches are now suspended as a precaution.
Call for Accountability and Reform
The CM urged senior doctors to dedicate at least eight hours to hospital duty, citing reports of them leaving after two hours for private practice. “Patients’ well-being must come first,” she emphasized, advocating for stricter monitoring through CCTV cameras at OT entrances to ensure accountability.
“Service and timely treatment are the greatest duties,” Banerjee asserted, instructing health secretary Narayan Swaroop Nigam to implement policies for better oversight in operating theaters. “Lives cannot be lost due to negligence,” she concluded.