Rajasthan: LS Speaker reviews maternal deaths in Kota, AIIMS team to visit hospitals
Jaipur, May 12
Taking serious note of the deaths of expectant mothers at the Medical College Hospital in Kota, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla chaired a high-level review meeting on Tuesday at the CAD Auditorium in Kota.
The meeting was attended by Medical Department Principal Secretary Gayatri Rathore, Kota Divisional Commissioner Anil Agarwal, District Collector Piyush Samariya, and superintendents and medical officers from several hospitals, including the Medical College Hospital and J.K. Lon Hospital. During the review, Birla sought detailed factual information regarding the entire sequence of events.
He also assessed the findings of the inquiry team sent from Jaipur and reviewed the corrective measures initiated so far.
Calling the deaths of expectant mothers an "extremely sensitive matter", Birla stated that negligence in medical care would not be tolerated under any circumstances.
He directed officials to hold accountable those responsible for the incident and to formulate strict Standard Operating Procedures and protocols to prevent such incidents in the future.
Birla announced that a team of experts from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi, and other central medical institutions would soon visit hospitals in the Kota-Bundi region.
The expert panel will investigate the causes of infection in operating theatres, examine surgical procedures, and assess hospital infrastructure and management systems. The team will subsequently prepare a detailed report and recommend Standard Operating Procedures to address deficiencies identified during the inspection.
He also instructed doctors and medical staff to exercise utmost caution during surgical procedures.
The Lok Sabha Speaker directed the Kota Divisional Commissioner to constitute a committee under his chairmanship to inspect all government hospitals in the district. The committee will assess the availability of medical resources, sanitation systems, nursing care, emergency services, and overall hospital management.
It will also prepare a roadmap to address shortcomings and improve healthcare delivery.
Birla emphasised that maintaining public trust in government hospitals was of paramount importance.
During the meeting, officials were instructed to strengthen hospital sanitation systems, improve nursing and emergency services, and ensure there is no laxity in patient care.
Directions were also issued to take strict action against negligent employees to ensure better medical treatment for patients and their families and to preserve public confidence in government healthcare institutions.
Among those present at the meeting were Additional Divisional Commissioner Mamta Tiwari, Municipal Corporation Commissioner O.P. Mehra, senior nephrologist at Sawai Man Singh Hospital Dr Dhananjay Agarwal, Medical College Kota Principal Dr Nilesh Jain, J.K. Lon Hospital Superintendent Dr Nirmala Sharma, and MBS Hospital Superintendent Dr Dharmaraj Meena, along with other medical professionals.
— IANS
Reader Comments
It's commendable that LS Speaker personally intervened. But why does it take deaths to trigger accountability? I hope the SOPs they draft are enforced strictly. India's maternal mortality still lags; this needs systematic change, not just one-time inspections.
Public hospitals ki halat toh dekhte hi banti hai. But committee ke baad bhi kya sudhar hoga? Bahut baar aisi committees banti hain, lekin kuch nahi badalta. Ummed hai is baar kuch thos kaam hoga. Aur nursing staff aur sanitation par dhyan dena bahut zaroori hai.
Very impressed that Om Birla himself came and reviewed. But a small suggestion – why not make these inspection reports public? Transparency will build trust. And one more thing, please also check the condition of PHCs and CHCs in rural areas where most women deliver. 🙏
As someone who works in healthcare, I can say these measures sound good on paper. But real change requires sustained investment in training, equipment, and staff welfare. SOPs alone won't save lives if there's no budget for basic supplies like gloves and IV fluids.
R Rajan Q (Rajesh Q) Good that accountability is being stressed. But let's not forget the ground reality – doctors in govt hospitals are overworked and under-resourced. Need to fix infrastructure, not just blame individuals. Hospital management needs to be strengthened from top to bottom. We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.