Rajasthan forms 4-member panel to probe C-section deaths at Bundi hospital
Synopsis
Two women died within days of Caesarean deliveries at Government General Hospital, Bundi — both referred to Kota after complications that the district hospital lacked the ICU capacity to manage. Rajasthan's four-member probe committee must now determine whether these were clinical tragedies or evidence of a deeper infrastructure failure in rural maternal care.
Key Takeaways
Two women died on 17 September 2026 in Kota after being referred following post-Caesarean complications at Government General Hospital, Bundi .
First patient, Varsha Sen of Silor, Bundi , developed postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) ; the second developed respiratory distress post-surgery.
The hospital cited the absence of HDU/ICU facilities as a reason for referring the second patient before bleeding could be controlled.
A four-member inquiry committee has been constituted at Government Medical College, Kota , with a two-day deadline to submit its report.
The committee will examine medical records, surgical procedures, postpartum management, and referral protocols in both cases.
Further action by the Rajasthan state government will follow once the inquiry report is submitted.
The Rajasthan state government has constituted a four-member inquiry committee at Government Medical College, Kota, to investigate the deaths of two women following Caesarean deliveries at Government General Hospital, Bundi. The committee has been directed to submit its findings within two days, according to official statements released on 19 September 2026.
What Happened at Bundi Hospital
The first patient, Varsha Sen, a resident of Silor in Bundi district, was admitted to Government General Hospital, Bundi, on 15 September 2026. She was approximately 8½ months pregnant and underwent a Caesarean section because the foetus was in a transverse position. She delivered a baby girl weighing approximately 2.800 kg. Following the procedure, complications developed; the on-duty doctor administered treatment before referring her to a higher medical facility. She died in Kota on 17 September 2026 after the referral.
The second patient was admitted on 16 September 2026 and delivered a baby weighing 2.280 kg at approximately 12:12 pm. At around 3:40 pm, she developed vaginal bleeding. The on-duty doctor immediately initiated treatment for postpartum haemorrhage (PPH), including balloon tamponade, medication, and blood transfusion. As the bleeding could not be controlled and HDU/ICU facilities were unavailable at the hospital, she was referred to a higher medical facility. She too died in Kota on 17 September following the referral.
Medical Background of the Cases
PMO Lakshminarayan Meena stated that, according to medical records, the first case involved severe postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) after delivery, for which balloon tamponade, medication, and blood transfusion were administered. The patient's condition could not be stabilised, necessitating a referral to a facility capable of providing higher-level care.
In the second case, the patient reportedly developed respiratory distress following the Caesarean delivery. She was examined and treated before also being referred to a higher medical facility. In both cases, one unit of blood was transfused prior to the referrals. The final medical causes of death will be established by the inquiry committee, officials said.
Records show that Varsha Sen had undergone four antenatal care (ANC) check-ups at the Silor Sub-Health Centre on 19 February, 16 April, 25 June, and 20 August 2026.
Inquiry Committee: Composition and Mandate
The committee, constituted by the Principal and Controller of Government Medical College, Kota, comprises:
Usha Dadiya, Professor, Department of Anaesthesiology (convener); Pankaj Jain, Professor, Department of Medicine (member); Rahul Agarwal, Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology (member); and Ashima Vijay, Associate Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (member).
The panel has been mandated to examine medical records, surgical procedures, treatment administered, postpartum management, and referral protocols in both cases. Further action by the state government will be determined based on the inquiry report.
Broader Concerns Over Rural Hospital Capacity
The absence of HDU/ICU facilities at the district-level hospital — cited as a reason for referring a critically bleeding patient — raises questions about the adequacy of emergency obstetric infrastructure in Bundi district. Notably, both women died in Kota after being referred, suggesting a breakdown in the referral chain or insufficient stabilisation before transfer. This is not the first instance in Rajasthan where gaps in secondary-level hospital infrastructure have been flagged in maternal death reviews. Health experts broadly argue that timely access to higher-care facilities and robust in-house ICU capacity are among the most critical determinants of maternal survival in PPH cases.
The inquiry committee's report, expected within two days, is likely to determine whether the deaths were the result of unavoidable clinical complications or systemic lapses in care and infrastructure.
Point of View
Not a clinical anomaly. A district hospital routinely performing Caesarean sections without the intensive-care backup to manage PPH is an accident waiting to happen repeatedly. The two-day inquiry timeline is appropriately urgent, but the committee's terms of reference — focused on medical records and referral procedures — may not be broad enough to surface the infrastructure deficit that appears to have contributed to both deaths. The real accountability question is not just whether the doctors acted correctly, but why a district-level hospital lacked the capacity to manage a foreseeable obstetric emergency.
NationPress
19 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened at Government General Hospital, Bundi?
Two women died on 17 September 2026 in Kota after developing life-threatening complications — postpartum haemorrhage and respiratory distress respectively — following Caesarean deliveries at Government General Hospital, Bundi, and being referred to a higher medical facility. The Rajasthan state government has ordered an inquiry into both deaths.
Who was Varsha Sen and what was her medical history?
Varsha Sen was a resident of Silor in Bundi district who had completed four antenatal care check-ups at the Silor Sub-Health Centre during her pregnancy. She was admitted on 15 September 2026 for a Caesarean section due to the foetus being in a transverse position, and died in Kota on 17 September after developing postpartum haemorrhage that could not be stabilised.
Why were the patients referred to Kota instead of being treated in Bundi?
According to official statements, both patients were referred because their conditions could not be stabilised at Government General Hospital, Bundi. In the second case, officials explicitly cited the unavailability of HDU/ICU facilities at the hospital as a reason for the referral while the patient was still bleeding.
Who is on the inquiry committee and what will it examine?
The four-member committee constituted at Government Medical College, Kota, is convened by Usha Dadiya, Professor of Anaesthesiology, and includes Pankaj Jain (Medicine), Rahul Agarwal (Microbiology), and Ashima Vijay (Obstetrics and Gynaecology). It will review medical records, surgical procedures, postpartum management, and referral protocols in both cases, with a report due within two days.
What action will the Rajasthan government take after the inquiry?
Officials have stated that further action will be determined based on the inquiry committee's report. The final medical causes of death in both cases will also be formally established only after the committee submits its findings.
