5 Medical Officers in Bengal slapped with show-cause notices over administering expired saline to patient

Kolkata, July 11 (AHN) The West Bengal Health Department on Saturday slapped show-cause notices on five Medical Officers attached to the Midnapore Medical College & Hospital in West Midnapore district of West Bengal on grounds of medical negligence following administering of expired saline to a serious heart patient.

An insider from the state health department said the five Medical Officers who have been slapped with the show-cause notices include the additional superintendent, assistant superintendent, store in-charge sister-in-charge and a lady nursing officer attached to the Midnapore Medical College & Hospital.

It is learnt that Mansi Dey, a senior citizen and a resident of Vidyasagar Pally area in Midnapore town in the district was admitted to the Midnapore Medical College & Hospital on July 5 morning.

On being diagnosed with a cardiac attack she was kept under observation and also administered saline.

The son of the patient at the hospital complained that from July 5 afternoon his mother started complaining of burning sensations in her chest. Thereafter, it came to the notice of some medical staff that the saline that the senior citizen was administered, had expired in March this year.

On being informed, the state health department immediately took action and a team of five Medical Officers were rushed to the Midnapore Medical College & Hospital on the same evening.

The delegation from the state health department had a meeting with the superintendent and principal of the said medical college and hospital and started a detailed enquiry in the matter. Thereafter, they submitted a report to the state health department based on their findings in the matter.

Based on that report, the state health department found the five Medical Officers attached to the said medical college and hospital guilty of gross negligence of duty and slapped show-cause notices on them.

To recall, a similar controversy surfaced over Midnapore Medical College & Hospital administering expired saline on lactating mothers in 2025 during the Mamata Banerjee regime.

Now again, a similar controversy has surfaced there during the Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari-led government, and the state health department has taken prompt action in the matter.