Mizoram consumer panel orders state govt to pay Rs 52.20 lakh compensation for maternity death

Aizawl, Nov 21 (PTI) The Mizoram State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has directed the state government to pay Rs 52.20 lakh as compensation to the family of a 40-year-old woman who died following childbirth at Serchhip district hospital in 2021, allegedly due to medical negligence, an official said on Friday.

He said the commission took serious note of the death of Malsawmkimi, who died soon after delivering a stillborn, and blamed the hospital for negligence.

According to the commission, Malsawmkimi, a resident of Tlangpui village in Khawzawl district, had gone to Serchhip district for consultation in 2021. Following a sonography test, she was admitted to the district hospital for delivery.

On the second night, she delivered a stillborn child around 8.30 pm. Although doctors had reportedly told her family that both mother and child were fine, she began to bleed heavily after delivery and died around 10.40 pm due to postpartum haemorrhage (PPH), the commission said.

According to the commission, the victim had earlier suffered miscarriages on four occasions but had also delivered three children normally.

The incident triggered widespread criticism on social media, prompting the state government to order a magisterial inquiry led by the Serchhip deputy commissioner. The inquiry later recommended an expert review by a medical team from Aizawl Civil Hospital.

The medical expert team concluded in its report that Malsawmkimi should have been strictly instructed to undergo a caesarean section considering her history of miscarriage and age as she had attained 40 years.

In his reply during the proceeding, state heath service principal director indicated that Malsawmkimi had anaemia with chronic hypotension as was appeared in her clinical report at Tlangpui Health Sub-Centre, which according to the commission, required serious attention.

Her medical condition was ignored by doctors at Serchhip district hospital, who did not treat her for anaemia, it said.

"The treating doctors and hospital staff were found guilty due their negligence and failure to dischare their duties faithfully," the commission said.

Believing that there were lapses leading to his wife's death, Zaithankima, husband of Malsawmkimi, had first approached the Aizawl bench of Gauhati High Court (Aizawl Bench), which found negligence and lapses in her treatment and awarded Rs 5 lakh to the petitioner as compensation, the commission said.

The High Court also permitted him to seek enhanced compensation before another forum, following which he filed a case before the State Consumer Dispute Redressal Commission or State Consumer Court, it said.

The state consumer court also expressed serious concern that when Malsawmkimi was admitted, she was attended not by regular nurses but by substitutes.

"Allowing untrained or substitute personnel to handle critical patients is unacceptable," the Commission said, terming it a severe lapse and directing the state government to pay Rs 52.20 lakh as compensation. PTI CORR MNB