Imphal: A 30-year-old mother and her newborn baby died on Friday while being transferred from the southern Sugnu Sub-District Hospital in Manipur’s Kakching district to the Thoubal District Hospital.
The deceased has been identified as Khaidem Ongbi Malemnganbi Devi, a resident of Sugnu Municipal Ward Number 1.
Reportedly, she gave birth at the sub-district hospital, but attending doctors and nurses advised her immediate transfer to the larger Thoubal facility after she experienced a sudden drop in blood pressure. Both the mother and the infant succumbed before reaching their destination.
Following the news of the deaths, local residents and relatives of the deceased staged a massive protest, storming the Sugnu Sub-District Hospital and locking its premises.
The agitators subsequently formed a 13-member Joint Action Committee (JAC) to spearhead their demonstration.
Speaking to the media, JAC Convenor Aheibam Nganthoi Devi demanded a thorough investigation into the incident to uncover the facts. She accused the medical team attending the delivery of severe negligence.
Furthermore, she criticized the state government and the local MLA for failing to repair the dilapidated road stretch between Sugnu and Wangoo Lamkhao, implying that the poor infrastructure delayed vital emergency transport.
The bodies of the mother and child have been kept at the Thoubal District Hospital for post-mortem examinations.
Meanwhile, the Sugnu police have registered a case and initiated an inquiry into the matter.
Khaidem Ongbi Malemnganbi Devi was the wife of Kh Biren. She left behind two daughters.