Mother grateful after court awards RM12.19mil to cerebral palsy child

MELAKA: An eight-year legal battle by a mother seeking justice for her daughter, who suffered severe brain damage during birth, ended with the Ayer Keroh High Court awarding RM12.19 million in damages.

Noraisah Ali, 42, said the ruling yesterday finally secured the support needed for her daughter, Hanan Qaireen Mohd Sukri, who suffers from spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy.

"I am very grateful. Finally, Hanan has received justice," she said.

Hanan, 8, suffered severe brain damage during her birth at a government hospital on Feb 18, 2018.

Noraisah said the government had acknowledged medical negligence after she and her husband, Mohd Sukri Mahat, 46, filed the lawsuit.

She said she went to the hospital on Feb 17, 2018, after experiencing bleeding, and an examination found that her cervix was only two centimetres dilated.

She was then admitted to the ward to await delivery and underwent only one cardiotocography (CTG) examination during more than 10 hours of monitoring.

"At about 10pm, my water broke and the cervix was about eight centimetres dilated. I was immediately taken to the delivery room and, on the way, the baby was almost delivered, but her oxygen level dropped.

"I then underwent an emergency procedure before Hanan was born after midnight," she told reporters at the Ayer Keroh Court Complex yesterday.

Noraisah said Hanan was unable to breathe on her own when she was born and required oxygen support after spending a prolonged period in the womb.

She said Hanan had been unable to move like other children from a young age, including sitting and crawling, and had undergone various therapy sessions to support her development.

"Now that she is eight, we still have to hold her when she wants to stand because she cannot do it on her own.

"Hanan also cannot speak and suffers from seizures and scoliosis. She requires full-time care and lifelong treatment," she said.

After years of fighting for her daughter's rights, Noraisah and Mohd Sukri were relieved when the Melaka High Court awarded RM12.19 million in damages, which was deemed reasonable to meet Hanan's needs.