India has made considerable progress in reducing maternal mortality over the past two decades. According to the Sample Registration System (SRS) Special Bulletin on Maternal Mortality, the country's Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) declined from 130 deaths per one lakh live births during 2014-16 to 93 during 2019-21.
However, a series of maternal deaths recently reported from two government hospitals continue to expose weaknesses in emergency obstetric care, referral systems and the quality of hospital services.
Similar episodes have surfaced in different parts of the country in recent years. In 2023, several maternal deaths reported at government hospitals in Maharashtra and Telangana prompted enquiries into shortages of blood, medicines and specialist staff. Earlier, maternal deaths in parts of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh had also drawn scrutiny over delayed referrals, anaemia and gaps in emergency obstetric care.
In Rajasthan’s case, now the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken suo motu cognisance, seeking a detailed report from the state government within two weeks amid concerns over the quality and safety of maternal healthcare.
The Commission issued a notice to the Rajasthan Chief Secretary after media reports highlighted the deaths of at least eight women, including a minor, within a week following childbirth or pregnancy-related treatment at government hospitals in Bhilwara and Banswara districts. The NHRC observed that, if the reports are found to be true, the incidents point to a serious violation of the right to health and safe maternal care.
According to reports, five women died at Mahatma Gandhi Hospital in Bhilwara between July 5 and July 10 after undergoing Caesarean sections. The deceased — Shimla Gurjar, Phori Devi, Isha Pandey, Divya and Sangeeta Jinagar — reportedly developed complications after surgery, were shifted to the medical intensive care unit, but could not be revived.
Hospital authorities have maintained that the women died due to severe obstetric complications and denied allegations of medical negligence. However, reports that one of the hospital's operation theatres tested positive during infection screening have triggered further scrutiny into possible lapses in infection control practices.
In Banswara district, three women, including a minor, were initially reported to have died after childbirth at the district hospital. Subsequently, reports suggested that the toll had risen further, with six postpartum women and three newborns dying over a span of days.
One of the latest victims, 20-year-old Shilpa from Sajjangarh block, reportedly delivered a stillborn baby before reaching a health facility. She was referred from a rural hospital to the district hospital and later shifted to Udaipur after suffering excessive bleeding, where she died.
Preliminary findings indicate that severe anaemia may have been a contributing factor in several of the maternal deaths, although official investigations are still underway.
Seeking accountability, the NHRC has directed the Rajasthan government to furnish details of the circumstances leading to the deaths, the status of ongoing enquiries, and corrective measures proposed to prevent similar tragedies.
A senior gynaecologist from a central government hospital in Delhi said that such incidents reflect persistent gaps in maternal healthcare despite significant improvements in institutional deliveries under programmes such as the Janani Suraksha Yojana. She said timely identification of high-risk pregnancies, effective management of obstetric emergencies, strict infection-control protocols and adequate blood-bank facilities remain critical for reducing preventable maternal deaths.
