5 women suffer kidney failure after childbirth at Bikaner hospital; probe ordered

Days after concerns over maternal deaths in Kota, a fresh healthcare scare has emerged in Rajasthan, with five women developing severe post-delivery complications, including kidney failure, at PBM Hospital in Bikaner.

The women reportedly fell critically ill between 10 and 15 days after giving birth and are currently undergoing treatment in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). All five are on dialysis, while a 20-year-old woman from Phalodi remains in critical condition on ventilator support.

The incident prompted Gajendra Singh Khimsar to convene a high-level review meeting on Tuesday, where senior health officials were directed to submit a detailed report and conduct a comprehensive inquiry into the cases.

Addressing reporters after the meeting, Khimsar stressed that the Bikaner cases should not be linked to the recent maternal deaths reported in Kota.

“The two incidents are different and occurred under different circumstances,” he said, noting that the affected women had delivered over different periods and through both Caesarean and normal deliveries.

According to hospital officials, two of the women underwent Caesarean sections while three delivered normally. Preliminary medical assessments indicate complications including urinary retention, infections, low platelet counts and acute kidney failure.

PBM Hospital Superintendent B.C. Ghiya said pregnancy-related complications are not uncommon, but acknowledged that there had been a noticeable rise in such cases over the past week. He added that a team of specialists has been deployed to monitor and treat the patients.

The hospital administration has formed a panel of specialist doctors to investigate the causes behind the complications, including possible infection, excessive bleeding and other medical factors. The findings will be submitted to the state government upon completion of the inquiry.

Khimsar also acknowledged the need to strengthen infection-control systems and hospital monitoring mechanisms. He said the government is considering the appointment of third-party agencies to conduct regular inspections and evaluate operational standards at hospitals across the state.

“At first glance, the incident does not appear to involve negligence,” the minister said. “However, if any lapse or negligence is found during the investigation, strict action will be taken against those responsible.”

Meanwhile, family members of the affected women have alleged that they were not adequately informed about the patients’ condition and treatment. Officials said those concerns will also be examined as part of the ongoing inquiry.

The health minister directed authorities to ensure the best possible care for all affected patients and reiterated that the state government is closely monitoring the situation. He also ordered stricter adherence to infection-control protocols and quality standards in healthcare facilities, stressing that there would be “no compromise” on patient care.

With IANS inputs