Sandesh Bansal v Union of India W.P. No. 9061/08
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Madhya Pradesh maternal mortality ratio at 379 is above the national average. This PIL was filed after a number of fact findings were conducted by the Petitioner together with the SLIC team, which revealed that access to medical facilities and the availability and the quality of maternal health care was very poor in the State. The following factors directly/indirectly lead to the high levels of maternal mortalities in this state (i) lack of health infrastructure at accessible distance for women, ii) negligence of health providers iii) lack of life saving drugs iv) shortage of anganwadis and lack of supplementary nutrition to pregnant women v) non Availability of key staff at hospitals vi) lack of availability of essential drugs at all health facilities and vii) immediate functioning of blood bank and storage facilities
Since the filing of this PIL a blood bank has now been set up at Bhind Hospital and a water well at Supurna PHC. The case continues to be heard, other reliefs sought include ensuring all below the poverty line people are provide all services free of cost and this should include, beds, treatment, tests and transport and to ensure that a pregnancy related surveillance mechanism is set up, which would identify and then remove the causes of maternal deaths in this state.