9 deaths in 6 days, 18 since May: A wave of maternal deaths in Rajasthan

NEW DELHI: A series of maternal deaths in Rajasthan's government hospitals has once again put the state's public healthcare system under scrutiny, with nine women dying in Bhilwara and Banswara within just six days. The latest fatalities have taken the total number of maternal deaths reported from government hospitals in five districts since May to 18, raising serious questions over patient safety, accountability and the quality of maternal healthcare.While Rajasthan is grappling with repeated deaths linked to childbirth and post-operative complications, the situation presents a different picture in Mumbai and Delhi. Mumbai has reported fluctuating maternal mortality despite improvements in infant survival, largely due to the burden of high-risk referral cases, while Delhi has achieved better newborn survival but witnessed a rise in maternal mortality over the past decade despite a sharp increase in institutional deliveries.