Harish Rao Demands Judicial Inquiry into Banswada Hospital Incident

Former Telangana Health Minister and BRS Deputy Floor Leader Harish Rao has demanded a high-level judicial or expert inquiry into the reported medical lapses at the Government Mother and Child Hospital in Banswada, where several women developed severe infections following caesarean (C-section) deliveries. Calling the incident a serious failure of public healthcare, he urged the state government to conduct a time-bound investigation, fix accountability and ensure the affected mothers receive the best possible treatment and adequate compensation.

After visiting the victims undergoing treatment at the Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) in Hyderabad, Harish Rao said 10 women who underwent C-sections at the Banswada hospital on July 13 developed severe post-operative infections. They were initially shifted to the Government Hospital in Nizamabad before being referred to NIMS for advanced care. According to him, Fatima, Ruksana, Jyothi, Lakshmipriya and Sunitha are currently admitted at NIMS, with three women in critical condition receiving intensive care, including dialysis after the infection reportedly spread to their lungs and kidneys.

Harish Rao accused the state government of "criminal negligence", alleging that no minister, local MLA or senior Health Department official had visited the victims or ordered a comprehensive investigation despite the gravity of the incident. He said the affected families had raised concerns over operation theatre sterilisation, possible medical negligence, and the suspected use of contaminated or expired medicines. He also questioned why additional C-sections were reportedly carried out in the same operation theatre after the first batch of patients had shown symptoms of infection, calling it a major breach of hospital safety protocols.

The incident has also reignited concerns over hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) in public healthcare facilities. Medical experts note that post-operative infections can arise from inadequate sterilisation, contaminated surgical equipment, poor operation theatre hygiene or lapses in infection-control practices. If not treated promptly, such infections can progress to sepsis, a life-threatening condition that can lead to multi-organ failure and require prolonged intensive care.

Referring to the previous BRS government, Harish Rao claimed institutional deliveries in government hospitals had increased from 30-35% to 72% during its tenure, while maternal mortality had fallen significantly, making Telangana one of the country's better-performing states in maternal healthcare. He alleged that public confidence in government hospitals has weakened due to poor supervision, medicine shortages and the discontinuation of welfare schemes such as the KCR Kit and Nutrition Kit.

Expressing concern over the newborns, Harish Rao said some infants are also undergoing treatment at Niloufer Hospital, alleging that the infection may have affected them as well. He urged the government to provide free specialised treatment, announce adequate ex gratia compensation for the affected families and ensure that those responsible are held accountable once the ongoing investigation is completed.