Déjà vu? New mothers falling ill at Burdwan hospital sparks fears of Midnapore horror repeat

Less than two months after a maternal death at Midnapore Medical College and Hospital (MMCH), where several new mothers fell seriously ill, a similar sense of fear emerged at Burdwan Medical College and Hospital (BMCH) on Monday.

Several postpartum women in the gynaecology and obstetrics department at Burdwan Medical College and Hospital (BMCH) began feeling unwell after receiving multiple injections on Monday. Some developed fevers with convulsions, while others gradually became unresponsive.

With the memory of January’s maternal death at Midnapore Medical College and Hospital (MMCH), where several new mothers also became critically ill, still fresh, families of the patients in Burdwan hurried to the hospital in panic after being informed by the authorities that their loved ones' conditions had worsened.

Upon arrival, they claimed they were denied entry to the department. They further suspected that an untrained individual might have administered the injections, leading to the incident.

There was also confusion about the number of postpartum women who became ill. While the patients' family members claimed that the condition of 10 to 12 new mothers worsened, Mausumi Banerjee, the principal of Burdwan Medical College, stated that only seven had fallen sick.

A team of doctors then examined the patients and administered alternative medication to aid their recovery. Gradually, over the course of an hour, their condition began to improve. After conducting further medical assessments, the doctors confirmed that all the patients were now stable.

Even though the situation was brought under control, the incident continued to create anxiety among patients and their families on Tuesday. As a result, some decided to discharge their loved ones and leave the hospital.

Regarding the incident, the principal of Burdwan Medical College, Mausumi Banerjee, told the media that an "allergic reaction" occurred after the injection was administered. She mentioned that the authorities are currently gathering more information about the matter.

“This happened on Monday afternoon after the doctors had completed their rounds in the ward. Preliminary investigations suggest that it was caused by a reaction to the medication. However, all patients are now in stable condition,” Prof (Dr) Tapas Ghosh, the medical superintendent cum vice-principal, informed the media.

The hospital authorities have reportedly put on hold all injections of the batch that were administered and have decided to send the administered medication for testing.