Under attack over botched sterilisation surgeries at Government-run medical camps which have so far claimed the lives of 13 women in Chhattisgarh, Chief Minister Raman Singh on Wednesday announced a judicial probe into the incident.
The surgeon, who performed tubectomy procedures on 83 women at a camp at Pendari village in a matter of few hours, has been arrested and the State’s Food and Drug Administration authorities have sealed a manufacturing unit which allegedly supplied sub-standard medicines administered to the victims.
“A judicial enquiry will be conducted into the incident and those found guilty will not be spared. Whether it is the medicine manufacturer, distributor or doctors, strict action will be taken,” he said.
Over allegations of sub-standard medicines having been administered to the victims, he said the samples were being sent to Central Drug Testing laboratory in Kolkata and a conclusion could be drawn only after reports have been received.
A 16-member team of doctors from Apollo Hospital, Hyderabad, arrived here on Wednesday and examined the patients. The team will stay put in Bilaspur till the time those afflicted recovered, the Chief Minister added.
The drug controlling authority sealed a unit of Mahawar Pharma which manufactures Ciprocin 500 mg tablets used at the camps where surgeries had been performed.
“We have suspended sale and supply of products of thecompany across the state and directives have been issued to chemists and drug suppliers in this connection,” Controller, FDA, Ravi Prakash Gupta said.
During the raid, a significant quantity of drugs were found burnt at the premises and a detailed report will be submitted to higher authorities in this regard, sources in the drugs control department said.
The laparoscopic surgeon, who is claimed to have performed over 50,000 sterilisation surgeries in his career, claimed that sub-standard medicines supplied by the Government caused post-operative complications resulting in the deaths.
The surgeon said he alone cannot be blamed for the tragedy and demanded that like him all health officials suspended in connection with the incident and the Block Health Officer be charged with culpable homicide not amounting to murder.