Mizoram Government Ordered to Pay ₹52.20 Lakh in Compensation for Maternal Death Due to Medical Negligence
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Aizawl, Mizoram - In a damning verdict, the Mizoram State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has directed the state government to pay ₹52.20 lakh in compensation to the family of a 40-year-old woman who lost her life following childbirth at Serchhip district hospital in 2021 due to alleged medical negligence. Malsawmkimi, a resident of Tlangpui village, died soon after delivering a stillborn child. An investigation found that she had been admitted to the hospital despite a history of miscarriages and anaemia. The commission noted that the treating doctors and hospital staff failed to provide proper care, instead allowing untrained personnel to handle her critical case. The incident sparked widespread outrage on social media, prompting a magisterial inquiry and a medical review by experts from Aizawl Civil Hospital. The medical team concluded that Malsawmkimi should have been advised to undergo a caesarean section due to her medical history. The commission took serious note of the lapses in Malsawmkimi's treatment, including the hospital's failure to address her anaemia and chronic hypotension. The state consumer court expressed concern over the hospital's use of untrained personnel to attend to critical patients. The case began in the Aizawl bench of the Gauhati High Court, which initially awarded ₹5 lakh in compensation to Malsawmkimi's husband, Zaithankima. However, he sought enhanced compensation, leading to the state consumer court's verdict. The commission's decision is a stern rebuke to the state government and the hospital, highlighting the need for improved medical care and accountability in Mizoram's healthcare system.
