BALURGHAT, Nov. 6 -- The Health department has removed four officials, including the superintendent of Gangarampur Super Speciality Hospital in South Dinajpur, following the alleged death of a tribal woman after being given the wrong blood type. The district health administration confirmed the action on Thursday.

Last week, Mousumi Mardi, a young woman from Kushmandi, was admitted to Kushmandi Rural Hospital with complaints of vomiting and abdominal pain. She was later referred to Gangarampur Super Speciality Hospital. There, she was reportedly transfused with 'AB positive' blood, after which her condition deteriorated sharply. She was subsequently shifted to Malda Medical College and Hospital, where doctors found her actual blood group to be 'O positive'.

The revelation triggered outrage and exposed serious negligence in medical procedures at the Gangarampur hospital. In an immediate response, the district Health department removed a medical officer and a blood bank technician at the hospital for damage control. Later, the department removed a nurse and the hospital superintendent, Babusona Saha. Kaushik Chakraborty has been appointed as the new superintendent and formally took charge on Thursday.

A high-level meeting was held at Gangarampur Super Speciality Hospital the same day, attended by Consumer Affairs Minister Biplab Mitra, Chief Medical Officer of Health (CMOH) Sudip Das, Gangarampur SDO Abhishek Shukla and Patient Welfare Committee Chairman Gautam Das, among other health officials. The meeting reviewed the hospital's management and stressed that negligence in patient care would not be tolerated.

Speaking to reporters, Sudip Das said: "We have received allegations that a woman was given the wrong blood group. An investigation has been initiated and samples have been sent to Kolkata for testing. If the charges are proved, strict action will be taken against those responsible."

Mitra added: "If medical negligence is established, the government will take legal action and support the bereaved family. We have also formed a committee to prevent such incidents in future."

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.