One woman critical on ventilator after Kota C-section infections; lab report awaited

Kota: One of six women who fell ill after C-section deliveries at New Medical College Hospital (NMCH) in Kota remains critical on a ventilator, while one has been discharged and four others are stable and improving, hospital officials said Thursday."Condition of Pinki, who was referred from JK Lon Hospital, still remains critical and she is on ventilator," NMCH additional principal Dr RP Meena told TOI. He said Aarti, also referred from JK Lon, was on face-mask oxygen and showing signs of recovery in the ICU.Dr Meena said Sushila, Dhannobai and Ragini were stable, adding that Ragini's kidney had started functioning with urine discharge. Chandrakala was discharged after recovery, he said. "No fresh case of post-C-section infection surfaced so far in both NMCH and JK Lon hospitals," Dr Meena said.Meanwhile, Satayanarayan, an attendant of Ragini, alleged he was denied entry during the minister's NMCH ward visit. "I expected assurance and guarantee on treatment and care from the minister as Ragini's condition is still critical with no urine discharge, I was denied entry and deprived from query to minister," he said.Six women's conditions deteriorated suddenly after C-section deliveries on Monday last week. Four women have died: Payal, 26, on Tuesday last week; Jyoti Nayak, 19, on Thursday at NMCH; Priya Mahawar, 22, at JK Lon Hospital on Sunday morning, and Pinki Mahawar, 30, who was referred from JK Lon, at NMCH's super-speciality block on Monday morning.Rajasthan health minister Gajendra Singh Khimsar, meanwhile, visited NMCH and JK Lon Hospital Thursday, nine days after the deaths and after eight other women were reported infected. He said the cause would be known only after laboratory reports from Kolkata, expected in about 20 days."The actual cause of 4 post-C section fatalities and infection among 8 other women would be clear after receipt of drug, medicine and cannula samples reports from laboratories in Kolkata," Khimsar told reporters. "The reason behind the incident could be pinpointed only with proofs and reports in hand," he added.Khimsar said "a dedicated team of doctors saved the life of other 8 women and their babies," and thanked doctors. He said one of the women who died at JK Lon Hospital had a cardiac problem, while another was referred to the super-speciality block in an already critical condition.Khimsar's visit came amid Congress criticism over his absence from Kota, including posters describing him as missing that were put up across the city on Tuesday.He said state teams were investigating and an AIIMS-Delhi team was also scheduled to visit Kota in the next few days to probe the deaths and infections, calling the incident "quite unusual and rare."