Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru

Mangaluru, Jun 15: A shortage of gynaecologists in government hospitals, coupled with the high concentration of medical colleges in Mangaluru, has made Dakshina Kannada one of the country's most private healthcare-dependent districts for maternity services.

According to 2025-26 data from the State Health Department, nearly 80% of the district’s 28,278 institutional deliveries took place in private hospitals, almost double the national average of 41.4%, The New Indian Express reported.

Of the total institutional deliveries recorded in the district, 22,410 occurred in private hospitals. The trend stands in stark contrast to the statewide pattern, where around 65.5% of deliveries take place in government healthcare institutions. In rural Karnataka, the figure rises to nearly 70%.

The district’s heavy reliance on private maternity care is reflected across its taluks. In Bantwal, only 28 of the 493 institutional deliveries were conducted in government facilities, accounting for a mere 5.7%.

In Puttur, government hospitals handled 656 of the 4,004 deliveries (16.4%), while in Mangaluru taluk, only 4,355 of the 21,491 deliveries (20.3%) took place in government hospitals. In Belthangady, government facilities accounted for 281 of the 1,042 deliveries (27%). Sullia was the lone exception, where the public sector’s share exceeded the national average, with 548 of 1,248 deliveries (43.9%) taking place in government institutions.

Another striking feature is the concentration of births in Mangaluru taluk. Of the district’s 28,278 institutional deliveries, 21,491 — nearly 76% — occurred in Mangaluru alone, underscoring its position as the region’s principal hub for maternal healthcare.

District health officer Dr H R Thimmayya acknowledged the shortage of gynaecologists in government hospitals but pointed out that Dakshina Kannada’s unique healthcare ecosystem, comprising eight medical colleges, has also contributed to the district’s dependence on private maternity care. Seven of these private medical institutions are located in Mangaluru.

“Medical college hospitals such as Yenepoya, Kanachur, Srinivas and SDM offer free delivery services under various schemes. Better follow-up care and specialised services are also available,” he said.

Highlighting the staffing crisis in government hospitals, Dr Thimmayya said the number of deliveries at Puttur Taluk Hospital, which once handled more than 100 deliveries a month, had dropped sharply after its gynaecologist left the service.

“The hospital has been without a full-time gynaecologist for the past six to seven months. Similar shortages existed in Sullia and Beltangady until recently. Bantwal has not had a government gynaecologist for nearly five years, although one is expected to join shortly,” he said.

“Families in Dakshina Kannada increasingly prefer specialist-led care even for normal deliveries. As a result, no deliveries are conducted at primary health centres in the district,” he added.