Sterilisation tragedy: Sub-standard drugs, medical negligence caused 13 deaths, says panel

Raipur: The distribution of “sub-standard” and “poison-contaminated” medicines besides “medical negligence” led to the death of 13 women at family planning camps in Chhattisgarh’s Bilaspur district last year, as per the judicial commission which probed the botched tubectomies.

The report of the panel was today tabled before the state cabinet at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Raman Singh at the secretariat here.

“As per the conclusions of the report, distribution of sub-standard and poison-contaminated medicines and medical negligence (at the sterilisation camps) led to the incident,” Health and Family Welfare Minister Ajay Chandrakar told reporters after the meeting.

The camps were organised by the Bilaspur district administration at Sakari village on November 8 and at Gaurela, Pendra and Marwahi on November 10.

While 13 out of several women who underwent the procedure at the camps died, many others fell ill and were hospitalised.

A one-member judicial commission was set up to probe the incident, which submitted its report to the government on August 10.

The Minister said the cabinet has decided to take a stringent disciplinary action against the officials and employees concerned who have been found guilty in the probe.

He said legal action will be taken against manufacturers and suppliers of sub-standard and poison-contaminated medicines (ciprocin 500 and ibrufen 400) distributed at the sterilisation camps.

Besides, appropriate action will be taken by Health, Education, Higher Education and General Administration departments as per recommendations laid down by the Commission to avoid such incidents in future, he added.