Officials from the Ministry of Public Health are currently investigating the circumstances which led to the death of a young mother who died in neighbouring Brazil, after being transported there for emergency surgery for the removal of a dead foetus.
Stabroek News understands that 30-year-old Jillian Jacobi died a little over a week ago in neighbouring Brazil, where she had been taken for emergency treatment after experiencing complications, when a doctor stationed at the Lethem Regional Hospital tried to remove a dead foetus from her body.
According to Junior Public Health Minister, Dr Karen Cummings, based on information received, Jacobi was in a village a short distance away from the hospital when she went into labour. However, due to the unavailability of a vehicle, there was a delay in getting the woman to the hospital.
It was further reported that by the time the woman managed to get to the hospital, her baby had died, resulting in her having to undergo a procedure to remove the remains of the foetus.
However, due to the resulting complications, efforts were subsequently made to have Jacobi moved to Brazil for emergency treatment, where she eventually died.
Nonetheless, the Minister noted that the woman’s life was in danger even before she got to the Lethem hospital, as she had begun experiencing eclampsia, a complication of pregnancy during which a woman develops very high blood pressure.
Several attempts to contact relatives of the deceased woman for a comment proved futile. Stabroek News understands that the 30 year old was also the mother of two young daughters.
In the meantime, Cummings indicated that the officials from the Ministry of Public Health will be looking into the matter, and they are currently awaiting the results of a post-mortem examination which was conducted last Monday to determine the cause of death.
