Malaysia : In a tragic case that underscores the critical importance of postpartum care, a court in Malaysia has ordered two doctors to pay compensation equivalent to ₹11.42 crore to the family of a woman who died after childbirth. The woman, identified as 36-year-old Punitha, passed away due to excessive bleeding shortly after giving birth to her second child in January 2019.
Incident Details
The incident occurred on January 9, 2019, when Punitha delivered her child under the supervision of Dr. Ravi at a clinic. Following the delivery at 10:30 AM, Punitha began crying in pain. Her mother noticed she was bleeding heavily, but Dr. Ravi dismissed the concerns, attributing the bleeding to the manual removal of the placenta. He assured the family that Punitha would recover and then left the clinic to go for drinks.
Dr. Shanmugam, the clinic owner, also left the premises during this critical period. Despite subsequent efforts to transfer Punitha to another hospital for medical assistance, she succumbed to excessive bleeding within two hours of delivery.
Court Verdict
The court found Dr. Ravi, Dr. Shanmugam, and three nurses guilty of medical negligence. The judge expressed shock at the irresponsible behavior of the doctors, who abandoned the patient despite their extensive experience in managing pregnancy and post-delivery cases.
The court emphasized that Punitha’s death was avoidable, stating that postpartum hemorrhage is a well-known risk, and timely medical intervention could have saved her life. The judgment highlighted that the doctors’ negligence and lack of accountability directly contributed to the tragedy.
Compensation
In a landmark ruling, the court awarded the family of the deceased ₹11.42 crore in damages, sending a strong message about the duty of care owed by medical professionals to their patients.
This case serves as a grim reminder of the critical responsibility doctors have in safeguarding patients’ lives, especially during high-risk medical procedures such as childbirth.
