Jaipur, July 16 (IANS) Five young mothers who entered Kota Medical College to give birth now find themselves fighting for survival after suffering kidney failure following Caesarean deliveries, turning what should have been a joyous chapter of their lives into a prolonged medical nightmare.

More than 70 days after their surgeries, they remain dependent on regular dialysis, while their families struggle with mounting emotional and financial distress.

On Wednesday, four of the women made a heartbreaking appeal that has shaken Rajasthan — either provide life-saving kidney transplants or allow them euthanasia. The women, all of whom developed kidney failure after undergoing Caesarean deliveries between May 4 and May 8, also submitted a memorandum addressed to the President of India, saying they can no longer endure the relentless pain and uncertainty.

Speaking publicly for the first time, patient Ragini described a life consumed by suffering. “We came here to give birth. Instead, we have been in this hospital for over two months. Every two or three days, we undergo dialysis. The pain is unbearable. We develop fevers, our condition worsens, and our families are falling apart. My husband has even lost his job. We don’t know how long we can survive this way. Either arrange a kidney transplant or grant us permission for euthanasia.”

The families had earlier issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the administration, demanding arrangements for kidney transplants. When no breakthrough came, the women escalated their protest by refusing dialysis on Wednesday.

Patient Dhanni Bai declared she would no longer undergo the procedure. Pinky and Aarti also refused scheduled dialysis. Aarti’s health deteriorated rapidly after missing treatment, forcing doctors to shift her to the Intensive Care Unit.

Dr Nilesh Jain, Principal of Kota Medical College, said the women’s condition is stable, but their kidneys have yet to recover. According to him, dialysis will continue as medically required, while any decision regarding kidney transplantation can only be considered after three to six months, once doctors evaluate whether natural recovery is possible.

Even as the Kota case continues to raise difficult questions about postoperative complications and patient care, another tragedy has intensified scrutiny of Rajasthan’s public health system.

In Banswara, where five women died following childbirth, Health Minister Gajendra Singh Khimsar visited the district hospital on Wednesday but stated that only two of the deaths appeared to warrant detailed investigation.

After holding a closed-door meeting with senior officials and hospital administrators, the minister told the media that each case was being examined individually. He noted that one deceased woman was from Madhya Pradesh, while another had reportedly reached the hospital in critical condition after consuming abortion medication.

However, his brief visit drew criticism after he left without meeting the grieving families, offering condolences, or visiting the newborn child of one of the deceased mothers who remains hospitalized.

The minister’s visit lasted less than two hours. He met officials behind closed doors, briefly addressed the media without taking questions, inspected hospital wards, and departed for Jaipur, where a review meeting has been planned.

Meanwhile, former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has also sought adequate compensation for the next of kin of the deceased women and a guarantee of lifelong free medical treatment for those still undergoing treatment at hospitals, terming such cases as ‘institutional failure.’

“I personally visited the hospital in Kota on June 17, 2026, and found the situation there and the condition of the affected women extremely concerning. All these women belong to weaker sections of society and require additional care and support from the hospital authorities,” he said.

Further, the two unfolding cases, five mothers battling irreversible kidney failure in Kota and five maternal deaths in Banswara, have intensified demands for an independent investigation into maternal healthcare standards, surgical safety, and emergency response systems across Rajasthan.

For the women lying in Kota’s nephrology ward, however, the debate is no longer about policy alone. It is about survival. Every passing day is measured not in hours, but in the countdown to the next dialysis session, and in the hope that someone, somewhere, will hear their plea before it is too late.

–IANS

arc/skp