Jaipur, July 17 (IANS). The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued a notice to the Chief Secretary of the state, taking suo motu cognizance of cases of death of women after delivery in Bhilwara and Banswara districts of Rajasthan. The commission has called for a detailed report within two weeks.
NHRC has taken this action on the basis of reports published in the media, in which information about deaths of women after delivery or delivery related treatment in government hospitals of both the districts was revealed.
According to reports, eight women, including a minor, died within a week. Of these, five women died in Mahatma Gandhi Hospital in Bhilwara and three in Banswara District Hospital.
The Commission, in its notice, said that if the facts published in the media are true, this case indicates a serious violation of human rights related to access to safe maternal health services. The NHRC has sought detailed information from Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma government about the circumstances of these deaths, the status of the ongoing investigation and the steps being taken to prevent such incidents in future.
According to media reports, the series of deaths of women after delivery is still continuing in Banswara. Another woman died after delivery on Wednesday night. The incident occurred when state Medical and Health Minister Gajendra Singh was on a visit to Khinvsar district.
It is being told that in recent days, six pregnant women and three newborn babies have died in Banswara.
Preliminary investigation has found severe anemia (blood deficiency) to be a possible cause of maternal death in many cases. In the latest case, 20-year-old Shilpa of Kalakhunta village of Sajjangarh block gave birth to a dead baby before reaching the hospital. Due to excessive bleeding and critical condition, he was first referred from the rural hospital to Banswara District Hospital and then to Udaipur, where he died on July 15.
The women whose deaths have been reported in Banswara include Rekha (29), Reshma (23), Lakshmi (21), Leela (32) and Lakshmi (32).
Five women died after caesarean (C-section) delivery within six days at Mahatma Gandhi Hospital in Bhilwara. The deceased have been identified as Shimla Gurjar (July 5), Fori Devi (July 7), Isha Pandey (July 8), Divya (July 9) and Sangeeta Jinagar (July 10).
According to reports, all the women were admitted to the Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU) as their condition deteriorated, but they could not be saved.
Meanwhile, there have also been reports of infection being found in the infection screening of an operation theater of the hospital, after which the investigation of the case has been further intensified. However, Mahatma Gandhi Hospital Superintendent Dr Arun Gaur has denied allegations of medical negligence, saying all the deaths were due to serious obstetric complications. Now NHRC will review the action and accountability of the state government after receiving the report of the Chief Secretary.
–IANS
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