Mothers remain at risk even in tertiary hospitals

A woman in her early 30s collapsed while being shifted from the post-operative ward to the general ward at Thapathali-based Paropakar Maternity and Women’s Hospital just before the start of the Dashain holidays last month. Her family members had rushed her to Kathmandu from Dhading for childbirth, believing that a specialised maternity centre in the capital city would offer her the safest care.

“Everything was normal, and the woman was taken to the general ward in a wheelchair 18 hours after giving birth,” said Dr Shree Prasad Adhikari, director at the Hospital. “But when she got up from the wheelchair to lie on the bed, she collapsed and died within minutes, before doctors could assess her condition.” Nepal has made remarkable progress in reducing maternal and neonatal mortality over the years, and received the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) award.

Yet preventable deaths continue to occur in tertiary care centres. This points to persistent gaps in the quality of care, the availability of skilled health workers, and access to essential services.