Series of Maternal Deaths at Rajasthan’s Largest District Hospital Sparks Investigation
Jaipur, July 31 – The Mahatma Gandhi Hospital in Bhilwara, Rajasthan’s biggest district‑level government medical centre, has recorded two more maternal deaths in July, intensifying scrutiny of the state’s maternal‑health delivery chain. Both women underwent normal vaginal deliveries and were not listed as high‑risk pregnancies during antenatal assessments. Within a few hours postpartum, each experienced uncontrolled hemorrhage that led to a rapid fall in hemoglobin and blood pressure, ultimately resulting in death despite transfer to the intensive care unit.
With these two additions, the death count for July at the hospital has risen to seven, raising alarms about the adequacy of post‑delivery observation, emergency response capacity, and blood‑loss management protocols.
The first victim, 22‑year‑old Sugna Mohan Bairwa of Kotri, had been sent from Shahpura to the MG Hospital after reporting post‑delivery discomfort. Family members recount that her blood pressure dropped immediately after the baby’s birth, prompting ICU admission where she later died. Principal Medical Officer Dr. Arun Gaur explained that excessive bleeding caused a swift decline in her hemoglobin, which proved fatal.
The second case involved 18‑year‑old Rani Bhura Banjara from Patel Nagar, who also delivered normally before an abrupt and severe bleed set in. Standard practice would first administer uterine‑contracting drugs and, if bleeding persisted, proceed to an emergency hysterectomy. However, her condition deteriorated too rapidly for surgeons to act.
Chief Medical and Health Officer Dr. Sanjeev Sharma clarified that none of the women had been classified as high‑risk during the antenatal care phase. He announced an immediate inquiry into why deaths occurred despite the presence of monitoring equipment and emergency facilities. The probe will examine medical histories, ultrasound reports, treatment records, and the official cause‑of‑death documentation.
A recent district‑wide screening campaign evaluated 2,210 pregnant women, identifying roughly 500 (about 23 %) as high‑risk due to severe anemia, hypertension, diabetes, cardiac or renal disease, previous cesarean sections, twin pregnancies, and other complications. Yet many of the recent fatalities, including those in Bhilwara, involved women who were not flagged as high‑risk.
These events echo a worrying pattern across Rajasthan. In May, five mothers died shortly after childbirth in Kota. In June, six women in Bikaner suffered kidney failure following cesarean deliveries, with two subsequently dying during treatment. This July, in addition to the seven deaths in Bhilwara, two more mothers died while receiving care in Banswara.
The recurring incidents are prompting health officials to call for a thorough revamp of postpartum care protocols, enhanced emergency training for staff, and stricter oversight of delivery‑room practices throughout state‑run hospitals.