Eighteen women in Rajasthan have died following childbirth since May, with seven others undergoing dialysis after kidney failure, prompting a state-ordered investigation into the maternal deaths across government hospitals.
Spate of deaths raises concerns over maternal healthcare
The deaths have drawn particular attention after nine women died in Bhilwara and Banswara between July 5 and July 10. Five of these occurred within six days at Mahatma Gandhi Hospital in Bhilwara, where all victims developed complications after caesarean deliveries and later died in intensive care.
Earlier incidents include five maternal deaths in Kota in May and six cases of kidney failure in Bikaner in June, two of which were fatal. Seven women from the Bikaner cases remain on dialysis.
Government response and ongoing investigations
Rajasthan Health Minister Gajendra Singh Khimsar stated that the simultaneous nature of the deaths has surprised authorities, ruling out initial theories linking them to heat. The government has summoned senior officials from affected districts and enlisted leading gynaecologists to determine the cause.
A special team from Jaipur will audit medical records, treatment protocols, and emergency systems in the hospitals involved. The health department has also formed a committee of experts in microbiology, surgery, gynaecology, and anaesthesia to investigate.
Hospital infrastructure and allegations of negligence
Families of the victims have accused hospital staff of negligence, staging protests to demand accountability. Concerns have also emerged about infrastructure at Bhilwara’s maternity hospital, which performs 30-40 caesarean surgeries daily but has only eight surgical instrument sets, raising potential infection risks.
Hospital Superintendent Dr. Arun Gaur denied negligence, stating that sterilisation protocols were followed and that an operation theatre flagged for contamination had been shut for sterilisation. Bhilwara District Collector Jasmeet Singh Sandhu reported no evidence linking the deaths to infection, attributing them to varied medical complications.
Political reactions and next steps
Opposition leader Ashok Gehlot criticised the state government, calling the deaths a sign of a "deepening crisis" in Rajasthan’s public healthcare system. Authorities have yet to establish negligence or medical errors but have warned of potential action if evidence emerges.
The investigation remains ongoing, with experts reviewing cases and hospital protocols to identify the underlying cause of the maternal deaths.
