Mawsynram MLA Himalaya Shangpliang has called for an inquiry into the tragic death of a woman in Dangar Primary Health Centre due to alleged gross negligence by staff.
The woman had reportedly had to give birth without the help of a doctor or nurse.
In a letter to Health Minister AL Hek and chairperson of the Assembly committee on women’s empowerment, Ampareen Lyngdoh, Shangpliang said that he had visited Dangar on Saturday with the Mawsynram Block Development Officer and other officials to inquire into the incident.
He said that the doctor on duty on the fateful night reported that the pregnant woman, Muny R Marak (28) was brought to the PHC around 11pm and was duly examined but found that it was time for delivery.
“The pregnant woman was kept in the normal ward although she was in labour pain throughout the night. It was reported by the relatives of the woman who were attending to her in the PHC that at 5am, they went to look for the doctor and the nurses but were informed that they have all gone to their residences,” the Congress MLA wrote. “Meanwhile, the pregnant woman, who was in severe labour pain, delivered the baby on her own without the help of the medical team. By the time the doctor and the nurses arrived it was too late and could not handle the complications that occurred due to the rupture of the placenta and other related issues. The woman was already weak due to excessive bleeding. The woman was never taken to the operation theatre for resuscitation, rather, when the doctor saw the condition of the woman deteriorating, he referred her to the Mawsynram CHC (Community Health Centre) but the woman breathed her last on the way to Shillong.”
The medical team that should have been on duty at the time should be held accountable and responsibilities should be fixed, he said, adding that the guilty should be punished according to the law. Shangpliang also said that the NGO running the health centre, VHAM, should be removed as there have been many complaints made against it in terms of shortcomings in providing adequate health services and non-compliance of the terms of references as entered between the NGO and the National Health Mission.
The legislator also demanded that the government provide ex-gratia assistance to the family of the deceased.
