NEWS

• Karnataka has reported a 24% reduction in maternal deaths between January and October 2025, compared to the same period in 2024.
• Maternal deaths dropped from 483 in 2024 to 366 in 2025.
• This achievement follows the State’s strict monitoring and audit of every maternal death, implemented after the Ballari maternal deaths incident in November 2024.

HIGHLIGHTS

Mission Zero Preventable Maternal Deaths

• The Health Department has launched a special initiative titled “Mission Zero Preventable Maternal Deaths.”
• The mission focuses on improving the quality and safety of maternal and newborn care across hospitals.
• A State-level committee now audits all maternal deaths to identify and address systemic gaps.

Rationalising Specialist Deployment

• A new Government Order (GO) was issued to optimally deploy key specialists — obstetricians, anaesthetists, and paediatricians — across the State.
• All 147 taluk hospitals and 42 well-performing Community Health Centres (CHCs) (those conducting over 30 deliveries monthly) will function as Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (CEmONC) centres.
• Each centre will have:
  • Two specialists in obstetrics, anaesthesia, and paediatrics
  • One radiologist and physician
• Remote areas such as M.M. Hills will retain full CEmONC facilities due to their difficult terrain and distance from referral centres.

Adopting the Tamil Nadu Model

• The rationalisation exercise follows the successful Tamil Nadu model, ensuring equitable distribution of medical specialists.
• 404 medical officers and nurses from underperforming centres will be redeployed to high-delivery-load facilities.
• Additionally, the government has created:
  • 104 new radiologist posts
  • 23 physician posts
  • 125 district-level super-specialist posts under the Compulsory Medical Service Scheme
• The initiative is budget-neutral and implemented under Rule 15(1)(c) of the Karnataka Civil Services Transfer Rules, 2025.