5 UG groups to look into RIMS deaths
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, September 25 2025: A joint committee of five revolutionary groups namely; KCP, KYKL, PREPAK, PREPAK (Pro) and the Koireng-led UNLF have decided to look into the recent series of deaths at RIMS and the people's complaints and grievances.

A joint statement issued by H Ibomcha of KCP, C Laangamba of KYKL, Ch Malemnganba of PREPAK, L Ibochouba of PREPAK (Pro) and Ksh Yoiheiba of Koireng-led UNLF said that five people died at RIMS during the last 32 days.

The statement also gave testimonies of the families of the five deceased.

5 UG groups to look into RIMS deaths

Families' testimonies

Laishram ningol Hijam ongbi Ibemcha (52) w/o Hijam Mohen of Awang Sekmai Laipat was admitted to RIMS on August 13 after she suffered a leg fracture.

She was admitted to the Ortho Department and all necessary tests were done over a period of seven days.

Ibemcha was taken inside the operation theatre at around 10 am of August 19 but she died during the operation.

Yengkhom Kesho (57) s/ o late Y Bheigyasing of Sekta Mayai Leikai was brought to RIMS at around 10.30 am of August 31 following a BP stroke.

At first, no doctor attended to Kesho as it was Sunday.

After repeated requests, a Medicine doctor attended to him as no Neurologist was available and he was admitted in the ward.

Kesho was told to take a CT scan on the next day (September 1) at 9.30 am.

After waiting for several hours, the CT scan was taken at around 3.30 pm.

In the meantime, he missed the doctors' round.

When the CT scan result was received at around 4.30 pm, the doctor asked the ward staff to take Kesho to ICU immediately.

The doctor also wrote a note to this effect.

But Kesho was never taken to ICU and he died at around 12 midnight of September 1 .

Gotimayum ongbi Ranibala (36) w/o G Achouba of Wangkhei Yumlembam Leikai was taken to RIMS for delivery on September 15.As Ranibala's condition grew critical, the doctors on duty performed a surgical operation without her consultant Dr Rameshwor.

Ranibala died during the operation and Dr Rameshwor arrived after the operation.

Dr Rameshwor maintained that the doctors on duty did not inform him about her patient in time.

However, the doctors on duty said that they shared information about Ranibala with Dr Rameshwor in time, and the treatment given to Rameshwor and the operation they performed were in accordance with a guideline given by Dr Rameshwor.

Yambem Sanjoy (52) s/o late Yambem kulla of Bamon Kampu Makha Leikai was brought to RIMS Casualty with complaints of pain on left hand and neck at around 8 am of September 20 .

After undergoing some tests, Sanjoy was discharged at around 1 pm.

The doctors also said that the result of one test would take some time.

As soon as Sanjoy reached home, his family was informed that the test result had arrived and he must undergo treatment at the hospital.

As such, Sanjoy was taken to RIMS immediately.

But the doctors on duty were not found in the Casualty.

Sanjoy was examined by internees.

When Sanjoy complained of breathing difficulty, his attendants were told to book a ticket for taking ECG.

Even as the patient complained that he was feeling very unwell and the same was conveyed to the doctors who were there in the Casualty, the doctors said they were reading some important documents and they would come sometime later.

But the doctors never came and Sanjoy died when his family members went away to book an ECG ticket.

Chingsubam Manju (36) w/o Ch Niran of Lilong Chajing Awang Leikai was admitted to RIMS for delivery on September 16.Doctors including her consultant Dr Pritam operated on her at 1 pm of September 20.Manju and her new bom baby were brought out of the operation theatre at around 2.30 pm.

At around 5.30 pm, Manju suddenly started bleeding profusely.

The doctors said that Manju must undergo another operation and she underwent another operation for the second time.

After the second operation, she was taken to ICU and she died at around 2.30 am on September 21.This series of controversial deaths in the State's biggest hospital is quite unfortunate.

This is a manifestation of the chronic issues of rampant corruption and favouritism plaguing RIMS, according to the joint statement.

With the highest post of Director appointed from Delhi and most Directors disinterested in addressing the chronic problems of the hospital while the huge number of nurses and multitasking staff are kept on ad-hoc basis without regularisation in addition to rampant corruption in every fresh appointment, no one is interested to run the hospital properly.

Moreover, friendliness and politeness are no longer visible in the hospital staff who first face patients and their attendants soon after the patients reach the hospital.

The impacts of all these controversies are not restricted to RIMS Hospital alone but have affected the entire healthcare system of the State, it said.

The recent incidents would further sour the doctor-patient ties where mutual trust has been already declining and this will aggravate the difficulties faced by economically weaker sections of the society.

At the same time, these incidents have shamed the people of Manipur/ Kangleipak before the whole world, it said.

The five outfits asserted that all sections of people and all concerned must treat the recent incidents at RIMS with utmost seriousness.

Just as soldiers pledged to safeguard their country even at the cost of their own lives, doctors too take an oath to save the humanity at the time of joining the profession, the outfits said.

The profession of doctor is the most dignified and respected profession.

Working tirelessly to save precious lives is the highest dharma of doctors.

However some of the recent incidents appeared that there was some negligence on the part of RIMS authority and doctors and there is prima facie evidence of favouritism.

Such incidents must be avoided at all costs and Resident doctors must be available during their duty hours, the outfits said.

Doctors are also humans and they cannot avoid mistakes at all times.

But a single mistake by a doctor may cost a precious life.

As such, doctors must always be extremely careful, said the joint statement.

Highlighting the importance of treating patients and their attendants with care and compassion, the outfits said that the recent unfortunate incidents which rocked RIMS could have been averted had the doctors treated their patients with care and compassion even if they had committed some mistakes.

It then appealed to all doctors to learn from the past incidents and work to avoid similar incidents in the future.

It further appealed to all doctors to regenerate the declining trust between doctors and patients.

The outfits have also asked all doctors not to suspend OPD services en masse but stage symbolic protests for some hours if the situation compels.

The recent series of incidents seen at RIMS and the way the RIMS authority responded to these issues gave a clear indication that RIMS has landed in a critically chaotic situation, said the joint statement.

The recent incidents clearly testified the weakness of leadership, rampant corruption and favouritism, inept management and lack of coordination.

Three patients died at RIMS within four days (September 18-21).Had the RIMS authority taken up necessary measures after the controversial deaths of September 18 and 20, the controversial deaths of September and the subsequent mob violence could have been avoided, it said.

It categorically said that the RIMS authority, particularly the Director and the Superintendent, must bear responsibility for the recent controversies and public outrage.

It questioned as to why such unwanted and unfortunate incidents happen more often in Government hospitals than private hospitals.

The RIMS authority must find out why its own doctors attend to patients in private hospitals on time while they neglect patients at RIMS.

Internal assessment of RIMS doctors and staff must not be done just for name's sake, it said.

There is no doctor who wants his/her patient to die.

Medical care is a very challenging and complex task.

It would not be right to blame doctors for every death which happens during operations.

At the same time, it would not be right to demoralise a doctor, who has saved many lives earlier, for a single mistake, the outfits said.

As per doctors' opinion, Chingsubam Manju died of Postpartum Haemorrhage (PPH).

PPH is one complication which is quite common in delivery.

Of all the deliveries around the world, 5 to 10 per cent face PPH and of all the deaths witnessed during delivery, 25-30 per cent are caused by PPH.

There are two kinds of PPH - primary or early PPH and secondary or late PPH.

Primary PPH happens within 24 hours while secondary PPH happens between 24 hours to 12 weeks.

It is not clear yet whether Manju's death was caused by doctors' negligence or other complications.

It demands a thorough investigation to find out the truth, it said.

Doctors may commit mistakes sometimes for they are also humans but mob violence should not be the people's reaction.

Instead of mob violence, people should work to take up necessary action as per law, the outfits said.

Acknowledging the contributions of private hospitals in the field of healthcare and highlighting the economic woes being endured by the people on account of COVID-19 pandemic and the aggression by Chin-Kuki narco-terrorists, the outfits have appealed to all private hospitals to charge the least possible fees.

If the private hospitals which are saving precious human lives are transformed into profit-making business enterprises, and doctors and nurses are interested only in making money, the highest profession of serving humanity will give unwanted results and the people behind such transformation must be seen as afflicted by criminal mindset, it said.

Informing that a Health and Family Welfare Task Force would look into all healthcare services, particularly hospitals and their activities, the outfits appealed to all doctors and staff to perform their duties punctually and diligently.

At the same time, the Health Department must provide necessary infrastructure, equipment etc, it added.