Rajasthan maternal deaths within WHO norms, says Health Minister Khimsar

Rajasthan Health Minister Gajendra Singh Khimsar said recent maternal deaths in Kota and Banswara were tragic but maintained the state's figures are within national and WHO norms. He promised a thorough investigation into the matter.

Rajasthan Health Minister Gajendra Singh Khimsar on Tuesday said the state's maternal death figures are within the standards prescribed by national and World Health Organisation (WHO) norms, while describing the recent deaths reported at government hospitals as "unfortunate and tragic".Speaking to ANI, Khimsar said that maternal deaths are assessed against established national and global parameters and maintained that Rajasthan's figures fall within the accepted range. "Consider the national-level standards and WHO norms; they accept up to 87 deaths per 100,000 deliveries--whether cesarean or normal--as an expected figure. We fall within those norms. It is certainly unfortunate and a very tragic event that a significant number of deaths occurred over the past two months. If you look at the annual figures, the number of deaths in Kota has not increased; in fact, it has gone down. Yes, the average was poor for one particular month," he said.

Minister Addresses Specific Cases

Addressing the maternal deaths reported from Banswara, the minister said four to five cases were reported and discussed through a video conference. "Then there is Banswara; there were four or five reported cases there, which we discussed via video conference... Firstly, we receive the highest number of cases and referrals. Secondly, we get complicated and critical cases. Thirdly, when private hospitals refuse to admit critical cases, our hospitals cannot turn them away. We have to handle the most difficult, critical, and complicated cases--situations where patients are often on the verge of death. As I mentioned, these clusters of deaths do occur from time to time," he told ANI.

Investigation and Transparency Pledged

Khimsar said he would visit the affected districts and hold detailed discussions with officials to review the situation. "I am going to Bhilwara tomorrow to hold a detailed meeting, and the day after, I will visit Banswara. I will gather comprehensive information. Our entire team is heading there to conduct a thorough investigation," he said.The minister added that the state government has also sought assistance from AIIMS Jodhpur to examine the situation. "We have also asked AIIMS Jodhpur to come and inspect the situation; we had invited them previously and are ready to call them again. We have nothing to hide; the reality is right there, and the facts are clear. We are making absolutely no attempt to conceal anything," he told ANI.The remarks came after concerns were raised over maternal deaths reported in government hospitals in Kota and Banswara. On Saturday, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla handed over cheques of Rs 5 lakh each to the families of pregnant women who died during treatment at Kota Medical College Hospital. (ANI)(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)