BENGALURU: Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly R Ashoka on Thursday demanded that Dinesh Gundu Rao resign as health minister and a judicial probe be ordered into the increasing number of maternal deaths in the state.
“Congress leaders speak about women’s empowerment and their government gives Rs 2,000 to them under the Gruha Lakshmi guarantee scheme. They should guarantee the survival of pregnant women first,” he told reporters here.
As many as 736 maternal deaths have been reported in the state. The state government should be held responsible for these deaths, he said.
Ashoka took strong exception to senior Congress ministers not visiting hospitals where maternal deaths were reported. Instead of visiting the hospitals and ensuring proper supply of medicines, they were busy attending rallies, he alleged.
During the winter session, Gundu Rao said all measures had been taken to prevent maternal deaths. Though the government stated that an audit of maternal deaths will be conducted, it is yet to bring out a report, Ashoka said.
He alleged that the government did not give convincing replies to Opposition parties’ queries on the reasons for maternal deaths during the winter session. “Intravenous (IV) fluids and other medicines are supplied by the state government and the Centre has no role in it. The state government should have tested the fluids and medicines as no such deaths have been reported in other states. The state government itself has admitted that 462 medicines supplied to its hospitals are of substandard quality. However, the same medicines are being supplied to government hospitals,” he said.
He said that BJP’s fight against the state government over this and other issues will not stop.