Woman Dies 4 Months After Being Administered 'Expired' Saline In Kolkata Hospital

Four months after a woman was allegedly administered expired saline at a hospital in Paschim Medinipur district rendering her critically ill, she died in a medical establishment in Kolkata on Monday, a health department official said.

The patient, Nasrin Khatoon, died at the state-run SSKM Hospital in Kolkata, where she was being treated since January.

Khatoon was allegedly administered the "expired" intravenous fluid at the Midnapore Medical College and Hospital in January when she was in an advanced stage of pregnancy.

Another pregnant woman, identified as Mamoni Rui Das, died allegedly following administration of "expired" Ringer's Lactate saline at the same hospital in January.

Ringer's Lactate is an intravenous fluid that doctors use to treat dehydration and restore fluid balance in the body.

"Following treatment in all these months, Khatoon's condition was improving. She was shifted from the ICU to a general ward some time back. But her condition started deteriorating from May 9, and she died this morning," the official said.

Khatoon was undergoing dialysis regularly since she was admitted to the SSKM Hospital, he said.

Rui Das died on January 10, while the condition of four others - Mampi Singh, Nasrin Khatoon, Minara Bibi, and Rekha Sau - admitted at the same hospital, deteriorated and were brought to SSKM Hospital.

The development prompted the health department to constitute a 13-member committee to investigate the matter.

Mampi Singh and Minara Bibi were discharged later, while Nasrin's treatment continued at the Kolkata facility, the official said.

West Bengal CID has been investigating the matter as the state government suspended 12 doctors of the Midnapore Medical College and Hospital for negligence in connection with the matter.

The state government also provided Rui Das' family with compensation of Rs 5 lakh along with a government job.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)