The Ministry of Public Health has launched an investigation into the country’s latest maternal death—a Berbice River woman who succumbed yesterday morning, nine days after she delivered a stillborn girl via Caesarean-section (C-section) at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH).
According to Pauline and Godfrey Marshall, their only daughter Vanessa Amsterdam, 26, of Berbice was rushed to the New Amsterdam Hospital on September 23, after she started to experience labour pain and headaches. She was transferred to the GPH that same night and admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) where she spent her last days. It was her first pregnancy after seven years of marriage.
When contacted yesterday, Minister of Public Health Dr George Norton told Stabroek News that the ministry is currently investigating the case. He explained that Amsterdam suffered from high blood pressure throughout her seven months of pregnancy and was diagnosed with placental abruption —a condition in which the placenta is separated from the uterus, cutting off the supply of oxygen to the baby. “It is a very important role of the pre-natal clinics of these patients to monitor them closely especially if they are suffering from high blood pressure,” Norton said. He added that if the condition is identified in the early stage their chances of survival are better.
Questioned about the increase in maternal deaths, Norton said the ministry has to focus more on primary health care; the entire health sector needs to improve.
Dwight Amsterdam, husband of the dead woman, said he is still trying to accept the fact that he lost his child and wife at the same time. He also spoke of being denied from travelling in the ambulance with his wife when she was being transported to the GPH. The man said he was informed that no relative could travel in the ambulance. When told of this, Norton said this can possibly be as a result of hospital regulations as regards transporting patients in the ambulance that had to be followed.
Dwight told Stabroek News that for the time his wife was in the hospital, she was in and out of consciousness but her death shocked the family.
He explained that when they took Vanessa to the New Amsterdam Hospital, she had a fit attack and was immediately attached to saline and oxygen, while doctors were monitoring her blood pressure. At this time, she was conscious.
He further said that when he arrived at the GPH the next morning with relatives, he visited various departments enquiring about his wife and was told she was in maternity ward. However, a visit there sent him to the ICU, where Vanessa was admitted.
“When I reach there and enquired about her, a nurse told me that they did a C-section and the baby dead and she said the doctor will speak with me shortly,” Dwight said. Moments later, the doctor told him and his mother-in-law that Vanessa was critically ill and they had cause to remove her womb after three consecutive surgeries. Reports revealed that while Vanessa gave consent for the first surgery, her relatives were not informed of the others until after they were performed.
However, despite the surgeries, Vanessa continued to bleed. “They told me that after the first surgery she was still bleeding and they had to do another surgery where they massage the womb, followed by the final one when they remove her entire womb,” Dwight said. Vanessa was also given 7 units of blood.
With tears in his eyes, he recalled, “They told me she in a serious condition and they will try they best to see what they can do for her because they know is her first baby.”
Concerns were also raised about important documents belonging to the woman being withheld by the hospital. “We coming every day for the last nine days to see she and they keep saying they will give me an update but unfortunately they never show up to give me any update of what’s going on,” Dwight said.
He said he once met a doctor who informed him that Vanessa’s kidneys and lungs were “bad” but on Thursday midday relatives were given some hope after they were told that her lungs were improving.
Dwight said the last response he got from his wife was on Monday morning, when he said her name and she squeezed his hands.
Vanessa was described as a very supportive, caring and loving person.
