CM Siddaramaiah slams officials over death of pregnant women in Ballari hospital; orders strict action

synopsis

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has strongly criticized district drug controllers and officials following the tragic deaths of four pregnant women at Ballari District Hospital. The CM held them accountable, stating, "These incidents are happening due to your negligence. Are you a king?" He also ordered that the West Bengal-based company responsible for supplying the faulty Ringer Lactate IV solution be blacklisted, and a criminal case be filed against them.  

During a high-level meeting held at Vidhana Soudha on Saturday, the Chief Minister reviewed the deaths and demanded strict action against those responsible. Questioning Drug Controller Umesh, Siddaramaiah asked, “Why wasn’t the Ringer Lactate IV solution tested before being used?” He raised concerns about possible collusion between officials and the drug supplier, instructing an in-depth investigation into the matter.

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The Chief Minister directed immediate suspension of Drug Controller Umesh for negligence. He also ordered a notice to the District Hospital’s Managing Director and demanded the blacklisting of the company that supplied the substandard drug. Additionally, the government will provide a compensation of Rs 2 lakh to the families of each deceased woman, along with further compensation to be collected from the company.  

Siddaramaiah emphasized the need to inspect similar cases in other hospitals across the state. To address this, he ordered the formation of an expert committee led by the Development Commissioner. The committee has been tasked to submit a detailed report within a week to ensure that such incidents do not recur.

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The meeting also focused on restructuring the state’s drug procurement process. Inspired by Tamil Nadu’s model, Siddaramaiah directed officials to draft a proposal for overhauling the Drug Control Department. This will be presented in the next cabinet meeting. The CM also stressed the need for strict measures to combat the influence of the medicine mafia.  

The Chief Minister assured that the government has taken the deaths seriously and will hold those responsible accountable. In addition to legal action against the supplier, changes in the drug procurement system and stricter regulations will be implemented to prevent such tragedies in the future.