Contaminated IV fluid kills 12 pregnant women at Umaid Hospital Hospital in Jodhpur

In a shocking case twelve pregnant women have died at Umaid Hospital in Rajasthan's Jodhpur after being administered contaminated IV fluid. The deaths have taken place over the last 10 days. The first casualty was reported on February 13. Four pregnant women are on ventilators in a serious condition after excessive bleeding.

The preliminary report into the incident indicates that it was contaminated IV fluid that led to the deaths.

Following protests after the death of the pregnant women the Rajasthan government has registered an FIR against the drug company Parental Surgical India Private Limited which supplied the IV fluids.

"We are investigating the entire matter and strict action will be taken against those guilty. We will also look into which companies were involved," said Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot.

The Madhya Pradesh-based company had allegedly supplied the contaminated IV fluid to the Jodhpur hospital which was in news last year for transfusing infected blood to thalassemic people. The government says an investigation has been ordered into the tragic incident.

While the state government has also informed the Drug Inspector of India and the Drug Inspector of Madhya Pradesh to check and raid the company in Indore besides issuing a warning against using the particular batch of IV fluid in other hospitals, the responsibility has only been fixed on the drug company.