Karnataka plans district-level action to eliminate preventable maternal deaths

According to the latest Sample Registration System estimate for 2022-24, Karnataka’s Maternal Mortality Ratio is 73 per one lakh live births | Photo Credit: File Photo The State Health Department has drawn up a set of measures, including district-specific interventions, stronger tracking of high-risk pregnancies, and greater community participation, with the objective of eliminating preventable maternal deaths in the State.Health Minister U.T. Khader said the government was committed to bringing maternal deaths down to zero and ensuring that the interventions reached even remote villages.“Towards this goal, we have decided to undertake several focused and effective measures. These include preconception care; quality antenatal care and high-risk pregnancy tracking; quality delivery care; preparedness to manage postpartum haemorrhage and other obstetric emergencies; strengthening of the Maternal Death Surveillance and Response system; the Zero Maternal Death Gram Panchayat campaign; and digital monitoring and accountability,” Mr. Khader said.Speaking after inaugurating a State-level workshop on the SUMAN Roadmap 2030 under the Surakshit Matritva Aashwasan (SUMAN) programme in Bengaluru on Friday, he said greater emphasis would be placed on maternal healthcare from the preconception stage through pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period.According to the latest Sample Registration System estimate for 2022-24, Karnataka’s Maternal Mortality Ratio is 73 per one lakh live births. The immediate target was to bring it below 70, he said.Focus on local causesMr. Khader said the causes of maternal deaths differed across districts and that district-level teams would be tasked with identifying local factors and taking corrective measures.The State would also strengthen early identification and continuous tracking of high-risk pregnancies, he said. High-risk pregnant women identified in advance could stay at these facilities for about a week before their expected date of delivery, depending on their clinical needs.Gram panchayats to be involvedThe government plans to give greater importance to community participation through awareness campaigns at the gram panchayat level.Gram panchayats that achieve “zero maternal deaths” would be recognised and felicitated at the State level, Mr. Khader said.A dedicated State-level unit for the prevention of maternal deaths, headed by a designated officer, would also be established. The Minister added that government hospitals handled a substantial share of deliveries in the State, accounting for around 60% of all deliveries.Women’s health policy to be introducedKarnataka plans to introduce a dedicated Women’s Health Policy to address changing healthcare needs, including those associated with lifestyle changes and hormonal health.“We will also appoint a dedicated Deputy Director to focus on women’s health,” Mr. Khader said, adding that Karnataka would become the first State to have such a policy. Published - September 26, 2026 06:49 pm IST