'Left bleeding mother to get drink': Malaysian High Court orders doctors to pay $1.3 million to deceased's kin for medical negligence

After the patient delivered her second baby, she experienced severe bleeding post placenta removal. The judge said that the kin of deceased were given assurance that she was stable after which the two doctors placed the patient under the care of three unregistered nurses in the delivery room and left.

A High Court in Malaysia's Selangor ordered the maternity centre of Shan Maternity and Obstetrics Centre to pay 6 million ringgits ($1.3 million) to the family of a deceased patient.

According to a report by the South China Morning Post, a female patient who was critically bleeding died after two obstetrics specialists left her to have a drink.

After finding Dr M Shanmugam, Dr A Ravi, and 3 nurses - Izaniey Nataliah Jukimin, Nur Aida Mat Isa and Nessy Yasah - guilty of medical negligence which resulted in the death of the female patient, Judge Norliza Othman proclaimed its payment order.

According to the publication's report which quoted another Malaysian publication, the judge said that the court was told that after the patient M Punita delivered her second baby, she experienced severe bleeding post placenta removal.

The judge said that the kin of deceased were given assurance that she was stable after which the two doctors placed the patient under the care of three unregistered nurses in the delivery room and left.

According to the publication's report, the judge highlighted the point that the nurses were not qualified by the Health Ministry standards and yet, they were assigned to monitor the female patient's condition.

The judge said, "However, the deceased’s mother found that her daughter was bleeding heavily, and the nurses tried to stop it by using cotton. The patient was later transferred to Hospital Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Klang (HTAR) in a critical condition."

According to SCMP, the judge said, "Despite undergoing emergency surgery and a blood transfusion, Punita passed away due to massive blood loss and disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC)."

The judge noted that despite both the doctors having extensive obstetrics experience, they failed at managing pregnancy and childbrith related complications which led to post-partum haemorrhage (PPH).

According to SCMP, the judge also said, "This tragic incident could have been prevented if the two doctors had acted swiftly by transferring her to HTAR and closely monitoring the patient’s condition, instead of leaving her in the care of nurses while Dr Ravi went out for a drink. This level of neglect is unforgivable as it contributed to the death of a healthy mother."

According to the High Court's payment order, 5,00,000 ringgits are for the deceased's pain and suffering, 1 million ringgits for each of the deceased's kids and 3,00,000 ringgits for each of the patient's parents.

Further, Dr Ravi will have to pay 1.5 million ringgits, Dr Shanmugam 7,00,000 ringgits and 1,00,000 ringgits will be paid by the clinic.

Punita (36) died due to PPH on January 9, 2019, a few hours later after giving birth to her second child.