A woman has died during childbirth in Balochistan’s Dera Bugti district, with local sources attributing her death to a lack of timely medical care and adequate healthcare facilities.
According to sources, the woman died in the Zain Koh area, where the necessary medical facilities were unavailable at the time of childbirth.
The incident comes amid a longstanding shortage of maternal healthcare services in Dera Bugti, where the reported lack of gynaecologists and female doctors forces women to travel approximately 200 kilometres to Rahim Yar Khan and Sadiqabad in Punjab for childbirth.
Local reports indicate that women frequently give birth during these journeys, while several previous incidents have resulted in the deaths of mothers and newborns due to delays in receiving medical treatment.
In January 2025, a 22-year-old woman and her newborn died during childbirth in the Pirkoh area of Dera Bugti, reportedly after failing to receive timely medical care.
Despite having a population of more than 350,000, according to the 2023 census, Dera Bugti continues to face a severe shortage of hospitals, specialist medical staff and other basic facilities.
The situation reflects wider challenges in maternal healthcare across Balochistan, where limited access to medical facilities and trained personnel has contributed to high maternal mortality.
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According to the 2019 Pakistan Maternal Mortality Survey, Balochistan recorded the highest maternal mortality ratio in the country, with 298 deaths per 100,000 live births, compared with the national average of 186.
Shortages of trained medical staff, inadequate emergency obstetric care and weaknesses in primary and referral healthcare services remain among the challenges affecting maternal healthcare in Balochistan.