The Chhattisgarh High Court, has expressed concern over the increasing stillbirth rates due to inadequate infrastructure in government hospitals, has taken suo motu cognizance of the matter.

Following reports published in Dainik Bhaskar dated April 29, 2024, the bench, consisting of Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha and Justice Rajani Dubey, has initiated this action.

The statistics presented in court depicted a harsh reality of infant mortality and maternal health in the region. It was emphasized that in the last five years, over 40,000 children aged 0–5 have tragically perished due to various ailments, with a considerable number passing away within 28 days of birth. Additionally, a distressing revelation revealed over 24,000 stillbirths during this period.

Alarmingly, the data also unveils that between 2019 and 2023, over 3,000 pregnant women lost their lives, primarily due to factors like anemia, malnutrition, and deficiencies within the healthcare system.

During the court proceedings, accompanying visuals portrayed multiple newborns cramped into a single room in government hospitals, shedding light on the severe shortage of infrastructure and resources. According to the reports, there is a scarcity of beds and ventilators in government hospitals, which falls short of requirements by half, thereby intensifying the challenges confronted by both patients and medical personnel.

In response to these revelations, the High Court instructed the State counsel to provide clarification on the news reports. Additionally, the Additional Chief Secretary of the Government of Chhattisgarh, from the Health and Family Welfare Department (respondent No.2), was directed to file a personal affidavit regarding the matter.