BJP MLA supplied poisonous gas that killed patients at BHU hospital  

The value of a single life in India has mostly been zero, but under the BJP rule, the situation has only worsened. There is no ‘acchhe din’ around the corner. Medical contracts are given to BJP lackeys and negligence seems to be the order of the day. But, who will question and who will answer?

In another case of negligence in Uttar Pradesh, official reports state three persons allegedly died due to the ‘poisonous gas’ administered by the doctors at the Banaras Hindu University (BHU)-affiliated Sir Sunder Lal (SSL) Hospital in June.

The gas was supplied by a firm owned by Allahabad North BJP MLA Harshvardhan Bajpai. However, unconfirmed reports state that more than 10 persons died.

A joint probe conducted by The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation(CDSCO) and the Food Safety and Drugs Administration (UP), concluded in July that Bajpai’s firm Parerhat Industries Private Limited, supplied ‘non-pharmacopoeial’ nitrous oxide to the hospital. If a drug or chemical compound is termed ‘non-pharmacopoeial’, then it cannot be prescribed or used on human beings. Nitrous oxide is mostly used for anaesthesia and analgesia. It is one of the most common anaesthetic agents used in surgeries and dentistry.

Documents accessed by National Herald reveals that BHU administration awarded the contract to Parerhat Industries Pvt. Ltd in April this year. Within seven months, the company gave two quotations, once on May 5, 2016, and then on November 20, 2016, to get the contract. It has been mentioned in an April 11-dated letter, which was signed by the medical superintendent OP Upadhyay and copied to the HoD of Anaesthesiology.

Not only did the firm supply ‘non-pharmacopoeial’ gas to the hospital, but it also did not have the valid licence to produce clinical gases. In response to an RTI application filed by advocate Ravindra Singh of the Allahabad High Court, the assistant commissioner of Drugs, Allahabad, has conceded that the firm neither had the licence to produce nitrous oxide or oxygen, nor supply them.

“Parerhat Industries Private Limited has not been given any licence to produce gas for medical usage by the drug department. And the above-mentioned company has not been given licence to produce nitrous oxide and oxygen gas,” reads the RTI response.

“My firm supplies gas to the hospital. I do not know if people died because of the gas supplied by my company or because of medical negligence. I have the contract papers and there hasn’t been any irregularity or favouritism while obtaining the contract,” said Bajpai on the phone from Allahabad.

A senior journalist, on the condition of anonymity, said that the VC of BHU, GC Tripathi, is the man behind deal. RSS sympathiser Tripathi, who was earlier with Allahabad University, is known to have an extremely close relationship with Bajpai’s family.

Alleging political conspiracy, Bajpai said his firm was awarded contract after due diligence. Refusing to comment on the RTI response, he said, “I have all the documents, papers related to the contract. My doors are always open to who so ever wants to see the papers and investigate the case.”

We tried to reach out to the Medical superintendent of the Sunder Lal (SSL) Hospital, OP Upadhyay to verify whether tenders were invited or not but he could not be reached out. He did not respond messages.

A media website mediavigil.com has claimed that the contract to supply nitrous oxide to the hospital was earlier given to the international firm Linde but it was revoked in April and the contract was subsequently awarded to the Bajpai’s firm Parerhat Industries Private Limited.

A medical expert told in the condition of anonymity that Linde had the expertise and infrastructure to produce nitrous oxide that can be used for medical purpose but after endorsement from Tiwari, hospital administration had revoked the Linde contract, only to award to Bajpai’s firm.