Malpractice cited in 2012 Berbice maternal death – report

Investigations into the death of 34-year-old Kaimattie Sooknanand, who succumbed after giving birth at the New Amsterdam Hospital in October last year, have revealed that malpractice was among the factors contributing to her death.
Sooknanand, who hailed from Number 68 Village, Corentyne, died on October 20, 2012 after giving birth.

According to documents presented to this publication by Health Minister Dr Bheri Ramsaran, the post-mortem revealed that Sooknanand’s death was caused by “hypovolaemic shock as a result of placenta praevia”. The Expert Maternal Mortality Committee comprising four doctors and two nurses suggested that the patient also died as a result of post-partum haemorrhage.
The committee was quoted as saying, “This patient was poorly managed by the obstetrician. It is unthinkable that an obstetrician should touch the patient… who had two confirmed ultrasounds with complete placenta praevia to do a vaginal speculum examination.”
It was further stated that the performance of the obstetrician in question was “inconsistent with someone who had training in obstetrics”.
On December 13, the case was further reviewed by the committee which subsequently recommended that the case be examined by the Medical Council of Guyana, for possible malpractice by the attending physicians. In addition it was recommended that there be an urgent review of the blood banking services at the New Amsterdam Hospital and the shortage of blood products, especially plasma, platelets and other blood products.
“The bank does not have plasma warmer and as such, no plasma is kept at the facility.”
In an effort to prevent a recurrence, medical practitioners from both public and private medical institutions completed a medical education seminar in February in the boardroom of the Berbice Regional Health Authority Office. Antepartum Haemorrhage (APH) and Postpartum Haemorrhage (PPH) were among key topics that were on top of the agenda when the 30 doctors from Regions Five and Six convened in the BRHA boardroom.
Sooknanand, who taught at the Number 56 Village Primary School, was admitted to the Skeldon Hospital but was subsequently transferred to the New Amsterdam Hospital. She delivered her baby the following day and subsequently was being transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital when she died.
Sooknanand’s husband is still upset that his wife was transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital without his knowledge.
Doctors at the New Amsterdam Hospital had performed a caesarean section on Sooknanand and according to her husband, family members were patiently awaiting the conclusion of the operation.
“The doctor came up to us and asked who the husband is and I told him ‘me’… she was still on the trolley and the doctor touch her and wake her up and asked her ‘who is this’ and she said ‘my husband’,” the man recollected.
At this point both Sooknanand and her baby were reportedly in good health. The following morning, Sooknanand’s husband received the terrible news that his wife had died on her way to the Georgetown Public Hospital.