A post-mortem examination (PME) performed on nine-year-old Tania De Cunha, whose parents claim negligence resulted in her death at the New Amsterdam Hospital last Tuesday, has found that the cause of death was acute renal failure.
Lynette and Tony De Cunha of Angoy’s Avenue, New Amsterdam, had told Stabroek News that their daughter died after the nurses failed to administer oxygen to her.
Pathologist Dr Vivikanad Brijmohan told Stabroek News yesterday that a PME revealed that the cause of death was “acute renal failure as a consequence of lupus.” He explained that lupus is a “connective tissue disorder”. He said the PME revealed that the child “was in terrible distress with fluid in her heart and lungs… with multiple organ involvement.”
The parents said Tania was admitted to the hospital with kidney and asthma problems and was having difficulty breathing. Lynette De Cunha said the doctor had prescribed oxygen for her daughter but it was not administered right away.
She said when she told the nurse that the girl was not breathing properly she eventually attached the oxygen. The doctor was summoned and while he was infusing blood the oxygen tank went off.
The woman claimed that the gauge on the oxygen tank was not working and the nurse did not know that the tank was almost empty.
She said about 10 minutes later she “was outside screaming when I saw the porter rolling another bottle of oxygen from a distance, to the ward.”
The mother also said her daughter was given antibiotics although it was stated on her chart that she was allergic to them.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the hospital Dr Vishwa Mahadeo denied the De Cunhas claims, stating that the child was admitted in a serious condition and that the hospital was not responsible for her death.
He also denied that the oxygen bottle was empty and that the gauge was not working, saying the doctor and nurses did their best.
In an earlier report it was incorrectly stated that Dr Yacoob was treating the girl and was with her at the time “up to the last” when in fact it was another doctor, Dr Rozan, who was treating her.
Dr Yacoob, the Medical Director (acting) was, however, asked to investigate the matter and has found that the girl’s death was not as a result of negligence, according to Dr Mahadeo.
Lynette had stated that, “I don’t want anything from the hospital; I am only looking for justice. I don’t want this to happen to someone else’s child.
I would have been satisfied if she had died while taking oxygen or while there was still oxygen in the bottle.”
