New Delhi -
A drug analysis has found that a compound used in rat poison and other toxic substances was in medication given to women who died after a sterilisation procedure in India, news reports said on Sunday.
At least 14 women who attended a state-run sterilisation camp in the Bilaspur district of the central state of Chhattisgarh died after undergoing operations on November 8.
State Health Minister Amar Agrawal told broadcaster NDTV that the drug sample report confirmed that the antibiotic Ciprocin-500 pills had toxic substances including zinc phosphide, commonly used in rodenticide.
“The drug report confirms the presence of poisonous substances, which also includes zinc phosphide. We have handed over the report to the police and they have to investigate now,” Agrawal was quoted as saying.
Agrawal said further action would be taken by the government after receipt of a report from a judicial inquiry. “It is shocking to find the presence of poisonous substances in our medicines,” he said.
Health department officials earlier said the condition of women deteriorated after they consumed the drugs following the procedures.
The drugs had been manufactured by a company called Mahawar Pharma and had now been banned across Chhattisgarh.
Ramesh Mahawar, owner of Mahawar Pharma, and his son Sumit were arrested on Thursday and charged with fraud.
The surgeon who conducted the procedures RK Gupta has also been arrested.
India's federal government promotes sterilisation for men and women as part of its family planning programme. Indian states run regular, voluntary mass-sterilisation camps, especially in rural areas.
Non-profit community health organisations say that overly optimistic targets set by officials sometimes lead to tragedies.
The government ran a forced sterilisation programme in the mid-1970s that met with great deal of resentment and resistance. - Sapa-dpa