Rajasthan Ambulances Fail High-Risk Moms

In Rajasthan, maternal healthcare has been critically undermined by the poor performance of the Janani Express ambulance service, with only 12.6% of high-risk pregnancies utilizing the critical transport system. A recent government review exposed significant operational failures, including widespread fuel shortages, frequent vehicle breakdowns, and unanswered calls to ambulance pilots, severely compromising emergency response capabilities.

The review found that many of the 600 available ambulances across the state were underutilized or non-operational, with numerous vehicles recording zero cases. This lack of reliable transport for women requiring urgent medical attention can be fatal, as tragically highlighted by a recent maternal death due to kidney failure following a caesarean delivery. Authorities' response has focused on temporary suspensions rather than addressing deep-seated systemic issues.

These ongoing failures in accountability and transparency within the public healthcare system have left families seeking answers and deepened their despair. The health department has directed all chief medical and health officers to ensure compliance and has initiated measures to reallocate underused vehicles to rural areas with high delivery loads, aiming to improve service delivery.