Govt caught in the grip of medical mafia: LOP

BENGALURU: Leader of the Opposition R Ashoka on Tuesday accused the Congress-led government of succumbing to a "medical mafia" and said that substandard and expired medicines were at the root of maternal deaths in the state.

- Arun Dev

Ashoka sought to move an adjournment motion in the legislative assembly to discuss the maternal deaths in Ballari and other districts, but speaker UT Khader rejected the notice. Khader, however, assured the opposition that the matter could be discussed under a different rule, stating, "The notice does not substantiate administrative failure."

Referring to the five maternal deaths reported from Ballari district hospital from November 9 to November 11, Ashoka accused the government for negligence. The deaths were reported to have occurred following a caesarean section in the hospital.

He said: "Expired medicines were administered to patients...This government is caught in the grip of a medical mafia." Citing a batch of Ringer's lactate administered in Ballari hospital, Ashoka questioned, "There was a report six months ago that this shouldn't be used. Then why was it purchased? There's a big mafia to which this government has succumbed."