The family of an Industry, East Coast Demerara woman, who the Ministry of Health yesterday said died as a result of COVID-19, is refuting the claim and say they believe she died from postpartum complications.
Thirty-year-old Gaitree Debidayal, a mother of two, was admitted to the Georgetown Public Hospital Maternity Ward on Thursday, March 18. It was while at the hospital the family said they were informed that she had begun feeling weak. She was tested and her results returned positive for COVID. She was transported to the isolation facility at Liliendaal where she succumbed on Saturday night.
The brother of the deceased woman, Gobindra Debidayal yesterday told Stabroek News that the family does not believe his sister died from COVID-19 since she was healthy prior to being admitted at the hospital. He said that the family is of the opinion that the woman could have developed postpartum complications and was not properly cared for.
He noted that when his sister was admitted to give birth, she was informed by a nurse that the baby was overdue and they would have to induce labour. He also stated that the baby weighed approximately 10 pounds at birth and doctors were forced to slip out the baby’s shoulder so she could have given birth.
Added to these complications, he said nurses informed his sister that her blood pressure and blood sugar were high post birth.
“With all these complications we believe she wasn’t cared for properly and she got weak and that led to her death. She wasn’t properly cared for. That is our view,” the brother said.
He explained that on March 18th his sister was referred to the hospital by the clinic as she was informed that the baby was overdue.
“She collected the [referral] card from the clinic and went straight to the hospital. We had to pack her bags and carry it for her. When she got to the hospital they admitted her but only keep checking her blood sugar and blood pressure. A nurse come and checked her and said they will have to induce labour but that didn’t happen until the night when the shift change over,” the brother recalled.
According to Gobindra, his sister went into labour on March 20th and gave birth. He noted that despite the baby being “big” the doctors did not offer a caesarean section.
“After she gave birth and returned to the ward she was ok but they told her that her blood sugar and blood pressure was high. On the 21st when I spoke with her she told me she wasn’t feeling well and so I tried to buy some stuff like Ensure, coconut water, Vitamalt and take it for her,” he explained.
The brother said when he got to the hospital he saw his sister downstairs sitting on a bench and she appeared to be ill.
Pale
“She was pale and there were blue marks on her skin around her arms and so. She was sitting on the bench downstairs and shaking. I was afraid …,” the brother added.
He added that while he was trying to ask his sister how she was feeling, a nurse informed them that they needed a certain formula for the baby since Gaitree was not in a position to produce milk.
The brother said he left to purchase the formula and return and upon returning the nurse informed him that his sister needed to go up to feed the baby.
“I had to ask to go with her because she seemed so weak but they said that I can’t go and a nurse will assist her…. I insisted to wait and see she got the help because I know how weak she was,” he added.
At approximately 9.30, that night, the brother said that they were informed by her mother-in law that his sister had tested positive for COVID-19 and they were transferring her to the isolation facility at Liliendaal.
“Her mother-in-law works as a guard and she would normally go in an hour early and try to see her and make sure everything is ok. But when she went that night she saw this body being rushed out of the ward and being prepared to go to the COVID hospital. We didn’t know anything,” he stressed.
Gobindra added that when they enquired, it was then they were informed that she was positive for COVID-19.
He said that during her stay at the hospital they communicated daily and she gave them updates. However, on Friday when he spoke with her, she related to him that they had placed her on oxygen as she was not able to breathe on her own. While at the hospital, he said that she sent them pictures showing swellings and blue marks that had appeared on her skin.
“I kept encouraging her and telling her she has to fight and she has two children to live for you know. I tried to keep her positive because we do not understand how they can say she has COVID-19 when she was healthy before giving birth,” he lamented.
On Saturday at around 1.30 pm, her husband received a phone call from a doctor who informed him that she had passed away.
Phone call
“That was the phone call we didn’t expect and didn’t want. She was healthy before giving birth, all the family who was around her took COVID-19 test and we are negative, the baby tested negative too. So we do not believe she died from COVID because she had complications after giving birth,” the brother lamented.
Family members he said took the COVID-19 antigen test at the Dr Balwant Singh Hospital. The Ministry of Health has not contacted the family to advise that they isolate themselves or administer any PCR test to them.
“We don’t want to see this happen to anyone and their loved ones. It is hard because you cannot get the right answers and it’s always a push around to get answers. We are calling for an investigation into my sister’s death,” the grieving brother said.
The infant remains at the hospital on medication and will soon be placed in the care of his father.
