33 maternal deaths in Davangere; BJP demands health minister’s resignation

Davangere district has reported 33 maternal deaths in the last eight months, attributed to substandard medications and alleged medical negligence, BJP MLA Chandru Lamani stated. He held Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao responsible, demanding his resignation.

A BJP fact-finding team visited the Mother and Child Hospital and Chigateri District General Hospital on Tuesday to investigate the deaths. Addressing the press, Lamani highlighted a sharp increase in maternal deaths, from 21 in 2023-24 to 33 between April and December 2024. Causes include blood clotting, hypertension, and low-quality IV fluids supplied by a pharmaceutical company in West Bengal.

Lamani revealed that Chigateri District General Hospital’s medical superintendent had flagged the issue of poor-quality IV fluids in February 2024. Despite this, no prompt action was taken. He emphasized the lack of medical facilities and staff at primary and taluk-level hospitals, which forced 17 referrals to Chigateri Hospital.

The hospitals are plagued by inadequate infrastructure, with no neonatal ICU, limited ICU beds, and a lack of medical testing facilities. Patients often rely on expensive private labs for critical tests. The absence of specialist doctors for months has further worsened the situation.

District BJP President N Rajasekhar criticized Davangere MP Prabha Mallikarjun for neglecting her responsibilities. The BJP called for immediate improvements in healthcare facilities to prevent further tragedies.

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