Maternal Deaths: Ballari Private Hospitals hike admission fees for pregnant women

Ballari: In the wake of five maternal deaths reported within a month at Ballari Institute of Medical Sciences (BIMS), several private hospitals in the state have reportedly begun exploiting patients by raising their charges for admitting pregnant women. This price hike has sparked concerns among families already grappling with financial hardships. 

In the past month, five deaths have been reported after patients at BIMS were administered a banned IV fluid by the hospital's doctors and staff. As a result, many patients previously admitted to BIMS and other government hospitals have begun shifting to private hospitals over the past 15 days, seeking to avoid the health risks associated with the incident. 

Several patients and their relatives have reported that private hospitals are exploiting the situation by inflating the costs of maternity care. This sharp price rise has left many families struggling to afford the necessary treatment. In response, patients and their families are urging the district administration to take immediate action against private hospitals charging exorbitantly.   

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He claimed that although his daughter’s medical reports were normal, the hospital informed him that there were no vacant beds available due to the increased influx of pregnant women.  

Medical Dialogues team had earlier reported that a four-member panel has been constituted by the Karnataka government to investigate maternal deaths reported at Ballari Hospital and elsewhere across the state. 

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