VIMSAR Maternal Deaths Not Due to Medicine Side Effects: Odisha’s Health Minister

The Directorate of Medical Education and Training, India, submitted a report to the state government after a cesarean section killed three women on April 10.

The death of three pregnant women at the VSS Institute of Medical Science and Research (VIMSAR) in Burla, Odisha, after a Cesarean section was not due to side effects of medicines administered to them, said Health and Family Welfare minister Atanu S. Nayak.

The minister said explanation has been sought from VIMSAR authorities for not conducting post-mortems for the three deceased women. Hospital authorities have been asked to probe into the deaths.

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Minister Nayak said, “Cesarean section was conducted on nine pregnant women that day, same drugs were administered to all of them. Therefore these deaths were not due to drug side effects, the expert committee has said in its report. Investigations are on to find out if there was any other reason behind the deaths. We have directed the director of VIMSAR to explain why post-mortem was not conducted on the deceased.”

A high-level committee headed by B.C. Das, director of Directorate of Medical Education and Training (DMET), submitted the investigation report on the issue to the state government after questioning the doctors and other staffs at VIMSAR.

The three women had died at VIMSAR, Burla about five hours after undergoing Cesarean section on April 10 leading to allegations that the deaths were caused due to negligence on the part of the attending doctors.

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Source-Medindia

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