Summary
In January 2019, Punita, 36, died from postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) hours after delivering her second child at Shan Maternity and Birthing Centre, owned by Dr. Shanmugam. After her placenta was removed, Punita began bleeding heavily. Dr. Ravi left the clinic for a drink, while Dr. Shanmugam also exited the delivery room, leaving Punita in the care of 3 unqualified nurses.
When Punita’s mother entered the room, she found her daughter bleeding heavily as the nurses unsuccessfully attempted to stop the haemorrhage with cotton. With both doctors absent, Punita was eventually transferred to Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital in Klang, arriving in critical condition with severe blood loss and disseminated intravascular coagulation. Despite emergency surgery and blood transfusions, she passed away.
In 2024, the court held the doctors guilty for medical negligence. It was held that the clinic lacked essential medical supplies to manage postpartum complications. The court noted the doctors’ failure to anticipate common childbirth risks, act promptly, or transfer Punita to a better-equipped hospital in time. Their collective negligence and reliance on unqualified nurses directly led to Punita’s death, which could have been prevented with proper care and swift action.
Compensation Received:
RM5,993,936.00:-
- Pain & suffering of deceased: RM500,000
- For deceased’s 2 children: RM1 million each
- For deceased’s parents: RM300,000 each
- Aggravated Damages against Dr Ravi: RM1.5 million
- Aggravated Damages against Dr Shanmugam & his clinic: RM700,000
- Punitive Damages: RM100,000