Another Five Maternal Deaths Recorded in Karnataka

Bengaluru, Dec 11 (NationPress) In the midst of an uproar surrounding a series of maternal fatalities in Karnataka, five additional deaths have been confirmed from the Raichur and Chitradurga districts.

The unfortunate event involving four maternal deaths at the Sindhanur Taluk Government Hospital in October has come to public attention.

The individuals who passed away have been identified as Chandrakala (26), Renukamma (32), Mousami Mandal (22), and Channamma (25).

In October, out of 300 pregnant women who delivered, seven faced critical conditions, leading to four fatalities. All of the deceased had undergone cesarean sections.

On October 21, Channamma underwent a C-Section and tragically passed away nine days later. Mousami Mandal gave birth on October 22 and died the following day. Renukamma delivered on October 31 and died the next day. Following their deteriorating conditions, the new mothers were transferred to Raichur Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) where they ultimately succumbed.

The families of the deceased have accused the healthcare system of medical negligence and are demanding justice.

They have also called for compensation and threatened to protest with their newborns in front of Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in Belagavi if their demands are unmet.

However, Raichur Deputy Commissioner K. Nitish stated, "The maternal fatalities occurred due to various reasons. We will determine if the deaths were linked to the administration of intravenous fluids within a week. Once the report is finalized, the government will take suitable action."

"In Sindhanur Taluk Hospital, 300 deliveries are performed each month. In October, four maternal deaths were recorded. The issue of maternal deaths related to intravenous fluids came to light in November. Those fluids from the specific batch have been sent for testing. All four deceased received the 0113 batch of Ringer Lactate intravenous fluid from a company in West Bengal, and the use of their products has been suspended," Nitish remarked.

In another incident, Roja (24), a resident of Jaganuruhatti near Challakere, passed away on Tuesday at the Chitradurga District Hospital. She had given birth to a son on October 30 and was discharged after five days.

After undergoing a cesarean section, she experienced abdominal pain and irritation 40 days post-delivery. Following multiple episodes of vomiting, she was readmitted to the Chitradurga District Hospital, where she died.

Roja’s family has claimed her death was due to doctor negligence and is demanding accountability.

Meanwhile, the state government is preparing to initiate criminal proceedings against the West Bengal pharmaceutical company responsible for supplying the Ringer Lactate intravenous fluids, which are believed to have contributed to a series of maternal deaths in the region, according to sources.

A seven-member team that inspected the West Bengal pharmaceutical company is set to submit a report to the government, recommending the filing of four criminal cases against the company.

The report revealed traces of harmful substances in the Ringer Lactate intravenous (I.V) fluids. The pharmaceutical company had previously claimed their IV fluid was safe. Following the report's submission, six maternal deaths have been reported in the state.

The Karnataka government has recently published statistics regarding maternal deaths from 2019-20 to the present, asserting that the rates have decreased compared to previous years.

According to data released by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's office on Monday, there were 662 maternal deaths out of 8,94,946 live births in 2019-20, resulting in a Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) of 74. MMR is defined as the number of deaths of pregnant mothers per 1 lakh live births.

In the following years, there were 714 maternal deaths in 2020-21 (MMR of 84), 595 maternal deaths in 2021-22 (MMR of 68), 527 maternal deaths in 2022-23 (MMR of 65), 518 maternal deaths in 2023-24, and 348 maternal deaths (up to November) in 2024-25 (MMR of 64).