SRINAGAR: New data placed before the Lok Sabha shows that the Government has said maternal deaths attributed to Postpartum Haemorrhage (PPH) have risen sharply in Jammu and Kashmir over the past two years, even as the national average has declined. The figures, sourced from the Health Management Information System (HMIS), indicate that PPH accounted for 5.80 per cent of maternal deaths in 2022–23 in Jammu and Kashmir, rising to 12.12 per cent in 2023–24 and 12.24 per cent in 2024–25.
The Government said these numbers form part of a national dataset in which India’s PPH-related maternal deaths have fallen from 16.31 per cent to around 13 per cent in the past two years. Ladakh has reported zero PPH-linked maternal deaths throughout the period under review.
Responding to the unstarred question, the Government said it has already adopted WHO’s recommendations on PPH prevention, diagnosis, and treatment to the Indian context under the National Health Mission. The reply states that the updated WHO 2025 consolidated guidelines are already reflected in existing national protocols and do not require a fresh adoption timeline.
The Government said that nationwide efforts include standardised protocols such as active management of the third stage of labour, timely administration of uterotonics, tranexamic acid, strengthened emergency response, and capacity-building for labour-room teams.
Although the question centred on Andhra Pradesh’s Konaseema district, the response outlines the framework applicable across all States and Union Territories, including Jammu and Kashmir. The Government said that training programmes like Skilled Birth Attendant, Dakshata, Basic and Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care continue to form the core of capacity-building for PPH management. These trainings include routine skill drills and on-site simulations on managing atonic PPH, shock, and emergency preparedness.
The Government also said that all delivery points are equipped with essential medicines and equipment required for PPH management, and periodic assessments are conducted to ensure facility readiness. Monitoring mechanisms include Maternal Death Surveillance and Response, Dakshata reviews, and supportive supervision under CEmONC. The State and district health authorities track indicators such as availability of uterotonics, adherence to AMTSL protocols, administration of tranexamic acid, and response time during PPH emergencies.
State-wise fund allocation details for PPH management form part of the official annexures, though the Lok Sabha reply does not provide a separate breakup for Jammu and Kashmir.
The rising trend in Jammu and Kashmir’s PPH-linked maternal deaths stands in contrast to the declining national curve and reinforces the need for closer oversight of labour-room practices, drug availability, and emergency response mechanisms, especially in high-load district hospitals and peripheral facilities across the Union Territory.
