CHENNAI: The state health department will pull out medical records of all patients who have undergone blood transfusion in the last one year in Dharampuri, Krishnagiri and Hosur government hospitals to check for adverse reactions and complications, including death, said director of medical services Dr N Rukmini. The health department has also asked for comprehensive quarterly audits of all blood banks in the government sector, to plug loopholes and improve record keeping.The detailed review will allow the government to see if there are cases beyond maternal deaths, she said. On Monday, a senior official told TOI that the government has cracked the whip and initiated action against three doctors after 15 maternal deaths, including expectant mothers, were recorded in a span of four months. The mothers were administered ‘lysed’ (spoilt) blood. “Quick and mandatory maternal death audits allowed the government to identify causes of deaths in some cases. We will see if similar incidents have occurred in other cases. We have no such reports so far,” she said.Meanwhile, state health secretary Beela Rajesh said the government decided to initiate process to ensure blood banks follow protocols. “A committee will supervise the functioning of these banks periodically and submit quarterly audits. We have ensured the blood being used now is safe,” she said.As per her directives, the directorates of medical services and medical education will serve charges for disciplinary action against erring doctors who were blood bank managers. “There will be a detailed inquiry where all doctors will be given a chance to explain themselves. If the enquiry committee finds them guilty disciplinary action including dismissal may be taken against them,” said director of medical education Dr A Edwin Joe. Criminal action or complaints to state medical council will be made after that, he said.Government doctors’ associations, meanwhile, have rallied behind erring doctors. In a press statement, the association said the order for criminal action was issued after preliminary inquiry. “Such criminal action is a retrograde step and will make all medical officers in charge to resort to defensive actions,” they said. The release said it did not take into account system failure, including lack of specialists such as microbiologists and pathologists as per Medical Council of India norms in Dharmapuri Medical College, and inadequate training for doctors and paramedical working at the blood bank.The release, issued by Tamil Nadu Government Doctors’ Association state secretary Dr Ravishankar, argued that death due to transfusion reaction should have been investigated in detail with a team of specialists with a couple of days. “They were no such steps. They did not submit proper reports even after 15 deaths over a period for few months. Now, a belated team branding flaws is not sustainable,” he said, expressing concerns over death of mothers.

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