A Canje family told by doctors attached to the New Amsterdam Public Hospital that their child was born with a deformed leg, is calling them out on the claim, after a cast was placed on their baby’s leg after delivery.
Father of the child, Rafeek Drugen, 22, of Canefield, East Canje, Berbice, explained that he rushed his wife minutes before 11 am two Thursdays ago to the New Amsterdam Public Hospital, after her water bag broke. He said that while at the hospital, his wife was experiencing intense pain but no one tended to her. The man noted that his wife gave birth to their baby around 9.42 pm the said day.
However, he said his child was rushed to the Intensive Care Unit at the hospital, reportedly because she was born with jaundice.
Drugen stated that while his wife was in the ward and the baby in the ICU, a cast was placed on the baby’s foot. “We don’t know if they do a surgery, we just see a cast on the baby foot, she give birth the Thursday night and the Friday the cast go on, she went in the ward and the baby was in the ICU and when she go visit the cast on the foot”, he related.
Meanwhile, after questioning the health professionals, Drugen said he was given several stories from different doctors, as to why a cast had been placed on his baby’s leg. “One say on delivery me wife give up and that’s how the baby foot break. The next doctor say the baby born deform. The next doctor tell me when the baby born due to she giving up the baby foot get to break, then a next doctor tell me all three a the same story”, the upset father stated.
Meanwhile, the baby girl was officially released from the New Amsterdam Public Hospital last Tuesday. Drugen, a first time father, said the hospital told them to return to the paediatric clinic on March 14.
However, he said yesterday morning, he took the baby to a private doctor, who said that he could not understand why if the child was born with a deformed leg, a cast had to be placed on it. He said the private doctor suspects that the child’s leg is broken.
Drugen then questioned why the doctors at the public health facility were not clear on what had transpired and the reason for placing a cast. He also questioned why the medical professionals thought it was not necessary to consult with him or his wife before placing the cast on the baby’s leg.
Additionally, the father said he is afraid to take the matter further because he does not want the hospital officials to “spite” his wife and child at the clinic. He said at this time, he is only concerned about his child’s wellbeing. “She still get lil jaundice but she doing okay”, he related.
Meanwhile, the Director of Regional Health Services, Jevaughn Stephens, when contacted by reporters yesterday, said that he was unaware of the issue. However, he asked that the family make contact with him so that the matter can be dealt with.
