KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court here has awarded a former saleswoman RM3.8 million damages in a medical negligence suit filed against a government hospital as doctors provided insufficient and delayed treatment when she experienced high blood pressure during pregnancy seven years ago.
As a consequence, Shuhazani Shoib’s baby died in her womb at Hospital Kuala Lumpur.
Shuhazani, who was 34 then, developed complete HELLP (hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes and low platelet count) syndrome with acute kidney failure and bleeding in her brain.
Shuhazani, who filed the suit in 2020 through her husband, Irwan Idris, is now unable to walk and is suffering from a cognitive disorder.
In 2021, Putrajaya admitted liability for its failure to exercise reasonable care during the plaintiff’s pregnancy.
Last year, Justice Ahmad Shahrir Salleh ordered compensation of RM3.8 million, which included RM300,000 in aggravated damages. He also ordered the government to pay Shuhazani another RM278,000 in costs.
Shahrir, who released his 15-page judgement last week, said Shuhazani will require continued assistance from others for the rest of her life.
Shuhazani married Irwan when she was 33 in 2015 and conceived the following year.
During the 33rd week of her pregnancy, she was diagnosed with preeclampsia (high blood pressure during pregnancy).
Her condition “was not managed properly”, and although the correct diagnosis was made, the treatment she received was insufficient and her condition deteriorated.
She suffered complications, which included complete HELLP syndrome, acute kidney injury and bleeding in the brain.
The government has appealed to the Court of Appeal against the quantum.
Lawyers Karthi Kanthabalan and Abdul Azeem Seeni Muthu Ambalam appeared for Shuhazani, while senior federal counsel Nik Mohd Noor Nik Kar and federal counsel Adiba Iman Hassan represented the government.
