Prince Bijay Singh Memorial (PBM) Hospital in Bikaner, Rajasthan, recorded its first maternal fatality linked to post-delivery complications on Friday, 19 June, when Preeti, a 20-year-old woman from Suratgarh, died of multiple organ failure approximately a month after giving birth. The death comes amid a wider medical crisis at the hospital, where six women reportedly suffered kidney failure following Caesarean deliveries in the maternity ward.

What Happened to Preeti

Preeti had been admitted to PBM Hospital — the largest government healthcare facility in the Bikaner division — for childbirth roughly a month before her death. According to family members, her health deteriorated steadily in the weeks that followed delivery.

Her kidneys stopped functioning during the course of treatment, triggering a cascade of complications that affected several other vital organs. Hospital sources said inadequate oxygen supply to the brain further complicated her recovery. She was placed on ventilator support and underwent intensive treatment, but doctors were ultimately unable to save her.

PBM Hospital Superintendent B.C. Ghiya confirmed that Preeti died due to multiple organ failure, with kidney failure identified as the initial trigger that set off the chain of deterioration despite prolonged medical intervention.

The Wider Crisis at PBM Hospital

Preeti's death is the first fatality in a cluster of serious cases at PBM Hospital's maternity ward. Six women, aged between 20 and 27 years, reportedly developed acute complications following Caesarean deliveries, including urinary retention, falling platelet counts, and acute kidney failure. All six were admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and placed on dialysis. Among them, Preeti's condition had been described as the most critical.

This comes amid a broader pattern of post-delivery deaths in Rajasthan — five women had earlier died at hospitals in Kota following complications from Caesarean sections and other surgeries, raising questions about the standard of maternal care in the state's government health facilities.

Government Response and Controversy

The incidents triggered alarm within the hospital administration and the management of Sardar Patel Medical College, prompting the Rajasthan government to seek a detailed report into the circumstances behind the complications.

Rajasthan Health Minister Gajendra Singh Khimsar visited Bikaner to review the situation and held discussions with officials at SP Medical College. However, the Minister's visit was preceded by protests by Youth Congress workers over the hospital's handling of the affected women. The demonstration turned tense, requiring police intervention.

The controversy deepened after Minister Khimsar, while speaking to reporters, made remarks questioning whether the women had arrived at the hospital 'walking or dancing.' The statement drew widespread criticism from Opposition leaders and civil society groups, who accused the Minister of insensitivity toward the patients and their families.

Opposition Demands and Accountability

Former Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot has written to Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma demanding financial assistance for the victims' families. Gehlot termed the deaths of new mothers and the failure of their kidneys an 'institutional failure' and demanded that an FIR be registered against the doctors concerned for alleged negligence.

With the first fatality now confirmed at PBM Hospital, pressure is mounting on both the hospital administration and state health authorities to determine the root cause of the complications and fix accountability. An investigation into the cluster of kidney failure cases is ongoing, and the Rajasthan government's detailed report is awaited.