Five young mothers who were admitted to Kota Medical College for childbirth are now fighting for their lives after developing acute kidney failure following Caesarean deliveries performed between 4 May and 8 May 2026. More than 70 days after their surgeries, the women remain tethered to dialysis machines, and on Wednesday, 16 July, four of them submitted a memorandum to the President of India with a devastating ultimatum: arrange kidney transplants or grant them permission for euthanasia.

The Human Cost Behind the Demand

Patient Ragini, speaking publicly for the first time, described the toll of life reduced to a cycle of pain and medical procedures. 'We came here to give birth. Instead, we have been in this hospital for over two months. Every two or three days, we undergo dialysis. The pain is unbearable. We develop fevers, our condition worsens, and our families are falling apart. My husband has even lost his job. We don't know how long we can survive this way. Either arrange a kidney transplant or grant us permission for euthanasia,' she said.

The women's families had earlier issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the hospital administration demanding transplant arrangements. When no breakthrough came, the women escalated their protest by refusing dialysis. Patient Dhanni Bai declared she would no longer undergo the procedure. Pinky and Aarti also refused scheduled sessions. Aarti's health deteriorated rapidly after missing treatment, forcing doctors to shift her to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

What the Hospital Has Said

Dr Nilesh Jain, Principal of Kota Medical College, stated that the women's condition is currently stable but their kidneys have not yet recovered. He said dialysis will continue as medically required, and that any decision regarding kidney transplantation can only be considered after three to six months, once doctors assess whether natural recovery is possible. The timeline offers little immediate relief to women and families already stretched beyond their limits.

Banswara Deaths Deepen the Crisis

Even as the Kota situation commands attention, a parallel tragedy has sharpened scrutiny of Rajasthan's public health infrastructure. In Banswara, five women died following childbirth, prompting a visit by Health Minister Gajendra Singh Khimsar to the district hospital on Wednesday. The minister, however, stated that only two of the deaths appeared to warrant detailed investigation.

After a closed-door meeting with senior officials and hospital administrators, the minister told reporters that each case was being examined individually. He noted that one deceased woman was from Madhya Pradesh, while another had reportedly reached the hospital in critical condition after consuming abortion medication. His visit drew sharp criticism after he left without meeting the grieving families, offering condolences, or visiting the newborn child of one of the deceased mothers who remains hospitalised. The minister's visit lasted less than two hours.

Political Response and Accountability Demands

Former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has called for adequate compensation for the next of kin of the deceased women and a guarantee of lifelong free medical treatment for those still undergoing care, terming both cases as 'institutional failure.' Gehlot stated that he personally visited the hospital in Kota on 17 June 2026 and found the situation and the condition of the affected women 'extremely concerning,' adding that all the women belong to weaker sections of society and require additional care and support.

Together, the two unfolding crises — five mothers battling kidney failure in Kota and five maternal deaths in Banswara — have intensified demands for an independent investigation into maternal healthcare standards, surgical safety, and emergency response systems across the state.

A Countdown Measured in Dialysis Sessions

For the women lying in Kota's nephrology ward, the policy debate is secondary to survival. Each day is measured not in hours but in the countdown to the next dialysis session, and in the dwindling hope that their plea will be heard before their bodies give out. Whether the state government will respond with urgency — or whether this becomes another entry in Rajasthan's ledger of unaddressed public health failures — remains to be seen.