Govt admits spurious medicines responsible for sterilization deaths

     Raipur, August 26, 2015: Chhattisgarh Government took nine months to admit that spurious medicines are majorly responsible for the death of women in sterilization camps in Bilaspur district of the state.

     Poisonous and sub standard medicines are major reasons for the death of 19 women in Bilaspur sterilization operations in November 2014, Health Minister Ajay Chandrakar told reporters.

     The cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Dr Raman Singh, today discussed in details the Anita Jha led Judicial Commission report on the sterilization deaths, he said.

     While poisonous and sub-standard medicines are major reasons negligence by doctors and nurses have also contributed to the death of women in the camps, he said.

     The State government has decided to take action on the matter after having discussed the issue in the Cabinet, he said.

     On November 19, 2014, Chhattisgarh TopNews.Com had reported that various scientific laboratories have confirmed presence of rat poison in the antibiotic medicine that was given during sterilization operation in Bilaspur district.

     “We have received the lab reports from three places and all have confirms presence of Zinc Phosphide,” a top state government official had told ChhattisgarhTopNews.Com.

     Zinc Phosphide is used for killing rats and is commonly known as rat poison, he said.

     “Samples of Ciprosin-500 were sent to various labs in the country and today (November 19, 2014) reports from three such labs were received,” said the officials.

     The lab reports clearly stated the presence of Zinc Phosphide in Ciprosin-500, the official said.

     All the samples were found sub standard and besides Zink Phosphide other poisonous substances were also found in the sample, he said.

     After consuming the medicine condition of the women were deteriorated and complain of organ failure were started pouring in, the official said.

     “We also received reports that about nine persons, who are not part of the sterilization operation and had taken the same medicine, manufactured locally, taken to ill with same symptoms,” he said.

     Also four persons were killed and two dozen ill after consuming Ciprosin-500 in Mungeli, Sarguja and Bilaspur districts, which are other than the sterilization cases.