Vandalism at govt hospital in Manipur after woman dies

Properties of a government hospital in Manipur’s Thoubal district was ransacked by an irate mob after a woman died post-delivery.
While the new-born survived, the 32-year-old woman died shortly after giving birth at Thoubal district hospital on Monday night, around 11: 10 am.
Family members, relatives and locals of Tekcham Mayai Leikai alleged that the woman died due to medical negligence. This allegation led to vandalism of hospital property and disruption of services at the emergency ward.
The deceased woman was identified as Ongbi Samita Devi, wife of Maibam Ajit, a resident of Tekcham Mayai Leikai of Thoubal district.
The husband is a soldier currently posted in Rajasthan who had returned home on leave for her second delivery.
The couple has a three-and-a-half-year-old son.
According to family sources, Samita was admitted to the district hospital on July 27 for delivery. She started experiencing labour pains at around 9.15 am and was taken to the operation theatre (OT) around 11.30 am and delivered the baby.
Around noon, she was brought back to the ward, and her condition appeared stable at first. However, shortly after, she began showing signs of distress.
The family informed nurses and other hospital staff about her worsening condition, but they were allegedly told it was normal postoperative weakness.
Painkillers were administered without thorough checks. By 10 pm, her condition turned critical.
When her condition deteriorated further, the doctor tried to stabilize her with oxygen support. However, the family alleged that proper and timely medical attention was lacking, which may have contributed to her death.
Her husband, Maibam Ajit, said his wife was healthy before delivery and had undergone all necessary tests. Doctors reportedly decided on a cesarean section due to complications.
After the delivery, the baby was found to be healthy, but the mother’s condition worsened unexpectedly.
“Despite our repeated pleas, the medical staff did not pay any attention saying it was normal for a patient who underwent surgery and was delayed in intervention, “ he said.
He alleged that crucial medical tests were not conducted prior to the operation, despite visible complications.
There was a complete lack of medical intervention during the six-hour period when her condition was visibly deteriorating, he said.
The news of the death spread quickly, prompting enraged locals from Tekcham Mayai Leikai and Thoubal Athokpam (Samita’s parental home) to gather at the hospital late at night.
When no satisfactory response regarding the cause of death of the woman came up, the crowd got angry and started ransacking the hospital’s ticket counter and portions of the main gate.
Police personnel rushed to the scene and brought the situation under control.
However, the tension continued to persist till Tuesday morning, with more people arriving at the hospital to protest the alleged negligence.
Hospital services, particularly in the emergency ward, were disrupted after on-duty doctors reportedly vacated the ward amidst the commotion.
Later, the husband lodged a complaint with the Thoubal district magistrate whose immediate intervention led to the shifting of the lifeless body of the woman to JNIMS morgue in Imphal around 8 am on Tuesday for necessary post-mortem examination.
However, the crowd continued to protest demanding immediate and appropriate legal action against the doctor allegedly responsible for the incident.
Later in the day, a public meeting was held at the locality of the woman where a joint action committee (JAC) was formed and submitted a memorandum to the DC of the district, urging for stern action against the concerned doctor.
The grieving family is calling on authorities to take immediate action against any negligence and ensure justice for the deceased.