Govt blames rat poison for death in sterilization op in Chhattisgarh

     Raipur, November 16, 2014: Chhattisgarh Government today blamed rat poison mixed with medicine as the prime reason for death of over a dozen of women after sterilization operation in the state.

     “We found Zinc Phosphide in one of the medicines given to the patients during the sterilization operation,” Principal Secretary Health Dr Alok Shukla said.

      In an exclusive interview he admitted because of the medicine several are either in ventilator or dialysis.

     “Rat poison or Zinc Phosphide was found in the Ciprofloxacin tablets given to the women, who underwent operation,” Shukla 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.

     Dr Shukla also urged media to highlight the issue saying, “since the specific medicine is available in private, people needed to be informed about its substances to avoid any further casualty”.

     The government has yet to receive the reports from the accredited forensic lab about the medicine, but the government wanted to have an early report since over 70 patients were admitted in various hospitals requiring urgent medical intervention to save lives, he said.

       “To start early medical treatment we conducted a lab test and found substances of zinc phosphide and started out treatment accordingly,” Dr Shukla said.

     To a question, he admitted even after a week, several women are either in ventilator or dialysis after the sterilization operation.

     “There are women, who are either in ventilator or dialysis. But the condition of all the patients have substantial improvement,” he said.

     About 70 patients are, however, in various hospital undergoing treatment and some with intensive care unit with ventilator, Dr Shukla, who himself has studied medicine before becoming a civil servant, said.