After six futile years of trying to conceive a baby, Mary (not her real name) was overjoyed when she found out early last year that she was pregnant with a boy.

This elation however, did not last long. Cash strapped, Mary and her husband reluctantly settled to have their baby delivered at a public hospital.

While in labour, Mary claimed she was rudely treated and often left unattended. Even her constant pleas to have her baby through caesarian section, as advised by her family doctors, was denied until the very last minute.

Given spinal anaesthesia during operation, Mary knew that something was amiss - her baby did not cry when he was brought into this world. After 10 days, the baby was officially pronounced dead.

Mary is claiming negligence on the part of the medical staff which led to her baby's death, her burst bladder and a ruptured uterus.

Seven other couples, all from the Klang Valley, also claimed to share near similar experiences with Mary. Yesterday, a formal complaint was lodged with the Health Director General Dr Mohd Ismail Merican (left).

MMC to probe

Accompanied by Cheras MP Tan Kok Wai, seven of the eight couples held a meeting with Ismail in his office yesterday.

According to Tan, Ismail had promised to probe all the cases for possible elements of negligence by medical staff and mismanagement by hospitals.

Of the eight complainants, six want the department to probe the cause of the neo-natal mortality of their infants, while another two complainants want a probe if negligence by medical staff cause the morbidity of their infants.

Ismail, who is also the head of the Malaysian Medical Council, told the couples that he would personally chair inquiries into all the cases, should a prima facie case of negligence be established by a Preliminary Investigations Committee (PIC) which comprises of senior medical experts, said Tan.

He added that Ismail had agreed that there have been many cases of maternal and neo-natal deaths which needed to be investigated.

Tan said that he would be requesting for the figures of such cases during the next Parliament sitting.