3,200 Mothers Lost: MP's Surgical Ban condemned
• Madhya Pradesh Ignores 2014 Health Order
• Maternal Deaths Spike as Surgeons Sidelined
• 35 Petitions from President: How State and Centre Dodged Accountability
Ignoring the Union Health Ministry’s 2014 mandate to train general surgeons in emergency Caesarean sections, National Health Mission (NHM) Madhya Pradesh continues to exclude them from maternal care roles. A Sprouts News Investigation Team (SIT) report reveals that 35 Presidential petitions on the issue were dismissed by state and central officials. With an MMR of 159 and IMR of 40—India’s worst—tribal communities bear the brunt of dysfunctional First Referral Units (FRUs) and systemic neglect.
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Union Health Ministry’s 2014 Directive: A Policy Buried Alive
In 2014, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) issued technical and operational guidelines titled “Engaging General Surgeons for Performing Caesarean Sections and Managing Obstetric Complications.” These were not advisory but mandatory, with clear training protocols, financial backing, and monitoring mechanisms. The policy aimed to tackle rural India’s acute shortage of obstetricians by upskilling general surgeons through a 12-day certified program. Despite this, NHM Madhya Pradesh has systematically excluded surgeons from emergency obstetric roles.
Madhya Pradesh’s Deliberate Non-Compliance: RTI Evidence and Presidential Petitions Ignored
According to RTI responses dated August 2025, NHM MP continues to exclude general surgeons from non-bonded recruitment drives—even though anesthetists, pediatricians, and obstetricians are included. Shockingly, 35 petitions filed through the President’s office were forwarded to the MoHFW and MP Chief Secretary, but both tiers of government failed to act. The Sprouts News Investigation Team (SIT) found that Centre officials cited “health is a state subject” to deflect accountability, effectively nullifying a lifesaving Union policy.
India’s Worst Maternal and Infant Health Metrics: A State in Denial
Madhya Pradesh records a Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) of 159 per 100,000 live births—almost double the national average (88). Its Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) stands at 40, significantly higher than India’s average of 26. Rural female IMR is 44, underscoring systemic gender-based neglect. Even Bangladesh, with an IMR of 25, outperforms MP. Deputy CM Rajendra Shukla has publicly called the situation “grim,” yet functional FRUs and trained surgeons remain absent in tribal districts, leading to preventable deaths.
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Who Is Accountable? Key Officials Named
The Sprouts SIT identifies three officials central to this failure:
· Aradhana Patnaik, Additional Secretary & Mission Director, NHM · Dr. Saloni Sidana, Mission Director, NHM Madhya Pradesh · Rajender Singh Sidhu, Under Secretary, NHM-I, MoHFW
These officers possess the authority to implement the 2014 guidelines yet have permitted non-compliance, exacerbating the maternal health crisis.
A Call for Enforcement and Transparency
The refusal to deploy general surgeons for emergency obstetric care violates national policy and human rights. With FRUs non-functional and maternal deaths rising, Madhya Pradesh’s health machinery remains in breakdown mode. The Sprouts News Investigation Team urges immediate enforcement of Union guidelines, transparency in recruitment, and accountability for negligent officials. Until then, tribal women and infants will continue to pay the price.
