Manipur records alarming MMR of 282 per 100,000 live births
Imphal: Gotimayum Ongbi Ranibala Devi (36), a resident of Wangkhei Yumlembam Leikai in Manipur's Imphal, died during childbirth at the central government-run RIMS Hospital (Regional Institute of Medical Sciences).
Her grieving family has refused to claim the body, demanding the termination of the doctors and nurses allegedly responsible for her death.
In response, several voluntary organisations, including the Young Volunteers Organisation (YVO), Wangkhei Puja Lampak, and Wangkhei Puja Lampak Women Welfare Organisation, held a three-day protest inside the RIMS campus.
The demonstration disrupted regular hospital services.
Facing mounting pressure, RIMS authorities announced the initiation of an external inquiry to investigate the circumstances leading to the woman’s death. Following this announcement, the protest ended on Tuesday.
This incident marks yet another controversy surrounding RIMS in recent times.
A recent study published in the International Journal of Reproduction, Contraception, Obstetrics and Gynecology reported that RIMS recorded a Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) of 86 per 100,000 live births over a five-year period.
The study highlighted high rates of unbooked cases and deaths caused by obstetric hemorrhage and hypertensive disorders.
Researchers observed that most maternal deaths occurred among multiparous women (those who have given birth multiple times), unbooked cases, and patients from rural backgrounds.
State health officials reported that Manipur’s overall MMR stands at 282 per 100,000 live births, according to some analyses using data from the Health Management Information System (HMIS).
This figure places the state among those with the highest maternal mortality ratios in India, well above the national average.
Analysts warn that such a high MMR reflects serious gaps in the availability and quality of maternal healthcare in Manipur.
It signals ongoing risks for pregnant women and calls for urgent reforms in the state’s reproductive health system.