Eight women have died following Caesarean-section deliveries at government hospitals in Rajasthan — six at the Mahatma Gandhi Government Hospital in Bhilwara within five days of 6 July, and two in Banswara on Friday — triggering a public health alarm over infection control failures and chronic resource shortfalls in the state's public healthcare system. Hospital authorities have confirmed the detection of infection inside the operation theatre (OT), and investigations are underway to determine whether it directly contributed to the deaths.

What Happened in Bhilwara

The sixth and final death in Bhilwara was recorded on Friday, bringing the toll to six since 6 July. All the deceased women had undergone C-section deliveries before their conditions deteriorated. Following reports of OT infection, surgeries in the affected theatre were suspended and several patients were shifted to other facilities as a precautionary measure.

Hospital officials confirmed that samples from the operation theatre, surgical instruments, and equipment have been dispatched for microbiological examination. A five-member inquiry committee has been constituted to investigate the deaths and identify any lapses in infection control and hospital protocols. Samples of injections administered to the patients have also been collected.

A particularly alarming detail to emerge is the hospital's workload-to-resource ratio: the facility reportedly performs 30 to 40 caesarean surgeries every day while possessing only five surgical sets, raising acute concerns over sterilisation cycles and infection management.

Two Deaths in Banswara

Separately, two new mothers died in Banswara on Friday after delivering their first babies via C-section. According to hospital reports, one of the women was anaemic, while the other had high blood pressure. Authorities have not yet confirmed whether the Banswara deaths are linked to the same infection strain identified in Bhilwara.

A Pattern Across Rajasthan

The Bhilwara and Banswara deaths do not stand in isolation. Similar concerns over maternal healthcare had previously surfaced in Kota, Bikaner, and Jodhpur, intensifying scrutiny of Rajasthan's public health infrastructure. This is the latest in a series of institutional failures that critics argue points to systemic underfunding and inadequate oversight of government hospitals in the state.

Gehlot Calls for Central Intervention

Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, a senior Indian National Congress (INC) leader, described the deaths as ‘heart-rending and extremely alarming’ and alleged they reflected serious shortcomings in the state’s healthcare system under the current Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government.

‘The deaths of postpartum women in Bhilwara and Banswara are heartbreaking and deeply worrying. Continuing caesarean operations despite reports of infection in the operation theatre and performing 30–40 surgeries with only five surgical sets clearly reflects gross negligence and the deteriorating state of the healthcare system. After Kota, Bikaner and Jodhpur, the situation in Bhilwara is equally disturbing. Has the BJP government left Rajasthan’s healthcare system to fate?’ Gehlot said.

Gehlot urged the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to immediately depute an expert team to Rajasthan for an independent assessment of government hospitals and a comprehensive probe into recent maternal deaths. He also tagged Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda in his appeal, calling for urgent intervention to prevent further fatalities.

Government Response and Next Steps

Health Department officials stated that the inquiry is ongoing and that action will be taken based on its findings. Authorities are awaiting laboratory reports to establish the exact cause of the infections and the deaths. Until those results are available, the affected OT in Bhilwara remains suspended for surgeries. The coming days will be critical in determining whether the state government acts on calls for systemic reform or limits its response to the immediate incident.