Maternal deaths in Karnataka are state govt sponsored: BJP

Belagavi (Karnataka), Dec 16 (IANS) Karnataka BJP Mahila Morcha staged a protest condemning the series of maternal deaths across the state near the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in Belagavi on Monday.

BJP state Mahila President, K. Manjula, while addressing the gathering stated that the party’s workers were staging the protest to question the government on the series of post-delivery deaths.

“The maternal deaths in Ballari are Congress government sponsored deaths,” K. Manjula alleged.

“The 2,200 Primary Health Centres (PHC) in the state have failed to ensure treatment to pregnant women and in this background, they are getting admitted to the district hospitals and dying. This is the reason behind the maternal deaths in the state,” Manjula claimed.

“There are a total of 2,200 PHCs in the state. The Women and Child Welfare Ministry and the Health and Family Welfare Departments get funds from the state and the Centre.

“Through the Anganwadi and Asha workers, it is ensured that every pregnant woman in the lower strata of society is safe,” she said.

Manjula further stated, to ensure that no pregnant woman dies due to deficiency of iron and calcium, the Janani Suraksha Scheme has been implemented and ambulances arranged to take pregnant women from their homes to the hospitals.

“To ensure the health and well-being of pregnant women for nine months, the Matru Vandana scheme is implemented by the Centre. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has come up with a big scheme to ensure that pregnant women do not suffer from anemia. Special care is taken to ensure iron and calcium tablets are provided to pregnant women through Family and Child Welfare Departments,” she stated.

“Not only maternal deaths, hundreds of newborn babies have died in Yadgir, Belagavi and other districts. The Congress government will be cursed by those babies and their families,” Manjula slammed.

“Pregnant women are not getting iron and calcium tablets. There is corruption and it has to be probed. The government is totally failing in ensuring the well-being of new mothers and administration of IV fluids is also the reason for the maternal deaths,” Manjula stated.

State BJP President, B.Y. Vijayendra, while addressing the protestors stated that the series of maternal deaths are due to the negligence of the state government.

Vijayendra said that the Ballari District In-Charge Minister, Health Minister and Medical Education Minister and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah did not care to visit the hospitals initially following the maternal deaths.

“This temerity is shown by the useless government due to arrogance of being in power. There is a need to raise a voice for the new mothers hailing from poor families and we need to warn Chief Minister Siddaramaiah who is showing serious irresponsibility,” he appealed.