Normal deliveries are declining and C-section deliveries remain high at the Government Hospital for Women and Children at Kottaparamba in Kozhikode City, Keralam.
A large number of people from the urban areas of Kozhikode are dependant on this hospital. V.K. “Both the age of marriage of couples and the female age of marriage have gone up. People from many educated families now have either only a single child or are averse to having a child. Some others are postponing deliveries.
Because many other government hospitals, including the medical college hospital, catered to only COVID patients, meanwhile, a government gynaecologist, who does not wish to be quoted, says a high number of deliveries were reported at the Kottaparamba hospital during the 2020-22 pandemic period possibly. Because most of those who underwent the procedure had already had their first delivery using that method, “There is no alarming rise in C-section deliveries during the period as well. There were a total of 5,201 deliveries (2,729 normal and 2,472 C-section) in 2020-21, according to the Health department. This number came down to 2,238 (1,387 normal and 851 C-section) in 2025-26. For example, 171 deliveries were reported at Kottaparamba in May 2026, of which 57 were in the C-section category. However, 33 of them had their first delivery using the same procedure. The gynaecologist also points out that the number of total deliveries at the medical college hospital in May was just 664. He says that the number has come down by around 20% to 30% over the years.
After the pandemic period, the numbers naturally fell, she says. So obviously, the second delivery had to be performed in a similar method,” she says. Rajeevan, superintendent at the hospital, says the decline is part of a Statewide trend seen in both government and private hospitals. A few are preferring private hospitals over government hospitals too,” he says.
Meanwhile, a high number of people are seeking outpatient (OP) treatment. Mr. Parannur claims that though a large number of people could be approaching the hospital for medical check-up and medicines, at least some are not willing to get admitted there for deliveries.
The RTI data show that in-patient admission dropped from 8,315 to 4,683 between 2020-21 and 2023-24. The next year, 5,089 people were admitted. The number again dropped to 4,838 in 2025-26. In 2020-21, a total of 81,329 people sought OP treatment and in 2024-25, this went up to 1,55,257 and slightly declined to 1,50,305 in 2025-26.
He says the Health department should conduct a detailed inquiry into the decline in the number of deliveries and IP admission.
