Jaipur: In a major push to reduce maternal mortality and strengthen maternal healthcare services, Rajasthan Chief Secretary V Srinivas, an IAS officer of 1989 batch, has directed the state’s Health Department to ensure daily monitoring of every high-risk pregnancy and reinforce institutional mechanisms for timely medical intervention.
Chairing a high-level video conference with senior health officials across the state, Srinivas stressed that every high-risk pregnant woman must receive continuous monitoring and access to appropriate healthcare facilities based on the level of medical care required.
Daily Monitoring Through Dedicated ANMs
The Chief Secretary instructed that every high-risk pregnant woman should be linked to a suitable healthcare institution—whether a Community Health Centre (CHC), Sub-District Hospital, District Hospital or Medical College—depending on the complexity of her condition.
To ensure close follow-up, he directed that each high-risk pregnancy be assigned to a dedicated Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (ANM), who will monitor the woman’s health on a daily basis and facilitate immediate medical consultation whenever necessary.
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Stricter Hospital Protocols and Maternal Death Reviews
Emphasising accountability within the public healthcare system, Srinivas instructed all government hospitals to strictly adhere to prescribed protocols in labour rooms and operation theatres (OTs) every day.
He further directed that every maternal death must undergo a detailed review at both the institutional and community levels to identify the underlying causes and prevent similar incidents in the future.
To strengthen the review mechanism, the Chief Secretary ordered that Maternal Mortality Audit Committees should include specialists from multiple disciplines and conduct weekly review meetings.
Focus on Prevention and Public Awareness
The Chief Secretary also called for a stronger communication strategy focusing on:
- Regular antenatal care
- Birth spacing
- Prevention and treatment of anaemia
- Monitoring women with previous pregnancy complications
He said awareness and early intervention remain critical in preventing maternal deaths.
Daily Reporting by Government Hospitals
Seeking greater accountability from healthcare institutions, Srinivas directed hospitals to submit daily reportscovering:
- Operational status of labour rooms and operation theatres
- ICU availability
- Number of patients treated
- Bed occupancy
- Deliveries conducted (normal and Caesarean)
- Status of admitted pregnant women
- Other key health indicators
He underscored that no patient should lose her life due to medical negligence and stressed the need for continuous monitoring of hospital performance.
Review of Medical Facilities Across Rajasthan
During the meeting, the Chief Secretary reviewed maternal healthcare infrastructure in major government medical institutions, including medical colleges at Bikaner, Jodhpur, Kota and Ajmer, as well as women’s hospitals in Jaipur and Kota.
The review covered blood bank availability, ICU facilities, labour rooms, operation theatres, protocol compliance, daily deliveries, and management of high-risk pregnancies.
Statewide Screening Campaign Underway
Principal Secretary, Medical and Health, Gayatri Rathore, informed the meeting that the department has already issued detailed protocol guidelines and launched a five-day statewide campaign from July 15 to identify and screen every pregnant woman across Rajasthan.
She said ANMs, Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs), CMHOs and other frontline health workers have been instructed to undertake intensive monitoring of high-risk pregnancies and briefed the Chief Secretary on the steps already taken by the department.
The meeting was attended by senior health officials, including Medical Education Commissioner Babulal Goyal, Director (Public Health) Dr Ravi Prakash Sharma, Additional Mission Director, NHM Dr T. Shubhamangala, Director (RCH) Dr Madhu Rateshwar, Executive Director, RMSCL Jai Singh, and other departmental officers.
