A total of 37 pregnant women have died in Bardiya over the past four years. The deaths occurred due to the inability to reach health facilities on time, lack of nutritious food, and inadequate family care. Kumari Shrestha, Public Health Nurse Officer and Information Officer at the Bardiya Health Office, informed that six pregnant women died in the fiscal year 2024/2025, six in 2023/2024, 12 in 2022/2023, and 13 in 2021/2022.
Article 38, Sub-Article 2 of the Constitution of Nepal guarantees every woman the right to safe motherhood and reproductive health. To implement this provision, the Safe Motherhood and Reproductive Health Rights Act, 2018 and the Safe Motherhood and Reproductive Health Rights Regulations, 2020 have been enacted to ensure that services related to safe motherhood and reproductive health are safe, of good quality, accessible, and affordable.
Although the government has implemented various programs to reduce maternal mortality, the deaths of postpartum women have not stopped in Bardiya.
Public Health Nurse Officer and Information Officer Shrestha stated that pregnant women suffering from excessive bleeding, chronic illnesses, and lacking family members to support them during treatment are facing serious challenges. She further mentioned that due to the belief that hospital treatment is expensive, many do not seek necessary care. Additionally, she reported that in health centers near the Indian border, some women have died after childbirth due to infections contracted during delivery.