BJP says it’s a sinister design of MNCs

The Opposition on Thursday raised the issue of superbug NDM - 1 in the Rajya Sabha. It suspected the hands of multinational pharmaceutical and hospital companies

behind British scientists’ claims that an infectious superbug originating from Indian hospitals is spreading around the world.

Responding to concerns raised by the members that the issue might hamper the health facilities sector in the country, the government said it was finding out the details of the issue and will take a stand very soon.

“When India is emerging as a medical tourism destination, this type of news is unfortunate and may be a sinister design of multinational companies to defame the Indian medical sector,” S. S. Ahluwalia of the BJP said during Zero Hour.

Demanding a response from the government, he said some foreign tourists after returning from India reported some infection and attributed it to Indian hospitals. “It may not be true,” he said.

Ahluwalia, who was supported by Jayanthi Natarajan of the Congress, said there should be a system of maintaining a registry for patients suffering from infectious diseases.

Natarajan said reports of the superbug being attributable to India is a propaganda against the country.

Minister of state for parliamentary affairs Prithviraj Chavan said he would find out the facts from the health minister.

According to a study published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases, a hospital- acquired superbug, which cannot be treated by existing drugs, is originating from India.

The Indian medical tourism industry, which is making rapid progress, revolves around providing treatment and surgeries to global patients at significantly lower costs. The sector has been estimated at Rs 1,200 crore.