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Karnataka records 217 maternal deaths in four months, government hospitals account for majority: Report
Between August and November, Karnataka witnessed over 50 maternal deaths each month.
Karnataka has reported 348 maternal deaths till November this year, with a significant spike between August and November, accounting for 217 of these fatalities.
According to The New Indian Express report, a rising mortality rate was particularly observed in government hospitals, where 179 deaths were recorded, and in private facilities, saw 38 deaths. The state’s healthcare system is now under scrutiny, with experts identifying systemic issues beyond just the use of certain IV fluids like Ringer's Lactate, which was previously blamed following deaths in Ballari, the report added.
Between August and November, the state witnessed over 50 maternal deaths each month, sparking concern among medical professionals. While Ringer’s Lactate was scrutinized after reports of maternal deaths, specialists caution against simplifying the issue.
Key contributors to maternal mortality include complications like postpartum hemorrhage (PPH), a leading cause of death, and amniotic fluid embolism (AFE), a rare but severe condition that leads to cardiovascular collapse.
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Over 3,000 deaths in last five years
There have been over 3,350 maternal deaths in the last five years in Karnataka, the Chief Minister's Office said. The fatalities have been on the decline during this period, according to data issued by the government.
The CMO's releasing the data comes in the wake of a controversy surrounding the recent maternal deaths in the state's Ballari district.
The total number of maternal deaths in the past five years stands at 3,364. An analysis of the data reveals the highest number of maternal deaths occurred during Covid-19 when the BJP was in power.
In 2019-2020, 662 maternal deaths were reported, with the number rising slightly to 714 the following year. However, the figures have since dropped, with 595 deaths recorded in 2021-2022, 527 in 2022-2023, and 518 in 2023-2024.
As of November 2024, the number of maternal deaths in the state stands at 348. Karnataka's Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) during this period stands at 64 per one lakh live births, according to the data.
On Sunday, the Karnataka government established a four-member panel to investigate the maternal deaths at Ballari Hospital and other locations across the state.
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