Ballari maternal deaths & state of public healthcare in India

Ballari maternal deaths & state of public healthcare in India

The recent deaths of five young mothers at a Ballari hospital in Karnataka is a reminder of poor quality manufacturing and improper testing of drugs.
| Video Credit:
The Hindu

India ranks third worldwide as a producer of drugs and pharmaceuticals by volume, but poor quality manufacturing and improper testing continue to pose a problem. The recent deaths of five young mothers at a Ballari hospital in Karnataka was only a fresh reminder of this.

What does the episode say about the overall state of public healthcare in India? Are the existing drug regulatory laws enough to streamline the manufacture and supply of medicines in the country? How much power do States have in this process?

For a detailed discussion on this, we are joined by Dr. Shaibya Saldanha, a Bengaluru-based obstetrician-gynaecologist.

Reporting: Nalme Nachiyar

Video & Editing: Ravichandran N