Jaipur, June 11 (IANS). The deaths of six pregnant women in Rajasthan’s Mahatma Gandhi Government Hospital in Bhilwara and two in Banswara within five days have raised serious concerns over infection control and patient safety in the state’s government healthcare system.
The hospital administration has confirmed that the infection was detected in the operation theater (OT). It is being investigated whether it played any role in the deaths.
With the death of one more woman on Friday, the number of women who have lost their lives in Bhilwara since July 6 has reached six. These women had undergone C-section (operation) delivery before their condition deteriorated. Following reports of infection, surgeries in the affected operation theaters were stopped and many patients were shifted to other hospitals as a precaution.
Hospital officials said that samples of operation theatre, surgical instruments and machines have been sent for microbiological testing. An investigation committee has also been formed to investigate the deaths and detect any lapses in infection control and hospital rules.
This incident has also raised questions on the infrastructure of the hospital. According to reports, 30 to 40 caesarean surgeries are performed at the hospital every day, even though there are only five surgical sets, raising concerns over sterilization and infection management.
A team of five members has been formed to investigate the matter and samples of the injections given to them have also been collected.
Similarly, in Banswara also two pregnant women died on Friday. The mothers gave birth to their first child after C-section surgery. One woman had anemia (blood deficiency), while the other woman had high blood pressure. Earlier such incidents have also come to light in Kota, Bikaner and Jodhpur.
Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot described the deaths as ‘heart-wrenching and extremely worrying’ and alleged that they reflected serious shortcomings in the state’s health system. Expressing condolences to the families of the victims, Gehlot said that despite reports of infection in OT, continuing with caesarean surgeries and performing 30-40 surgeries daily with just five surgical sets points to ‘gross negligence and deteriorating health system’.
Gehlot said, “The death of women after delivery in Bhilwara and Banswara is heart-wrenching and very worrying. My sympathies are with the families of the victims. Continuing caesarean operations despite reports of infection in the operation theater and carrying out 30-40 surgeries with only five surgical sets clearly shows gross negligence and the deteriorating condition of the healthcare system. After Kota, Bikaner and Jodhpur, the situation in Bhilwara is also similar. “Worrying. Has the BJP government left the health care system of Rajasthan to God?”
Gehlot said, “The series of such incidents shows that the government is not taking the matter seriously. The Union Health Ministry should immediately send an expert team to hospitals across Rajasthan to assess the situation and conduct thorough investigations so that the lives of women can be saved after delivery.”
Gehlot in his appeal to Union Health Minister J.P. Tagged Nadda and demanded immediate intervention to prevent further deaths of mothers.
Meanwhile, health department officials said that investigation is underway and action will be taken based on its results. Officials are also waiting for laboratory reports to ascertain the exact cause of infection and death of the mothers.
–IANS
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