Doctor suspended pending investigation into baby's death during C-Section procedure.

Health administrators on Friday suspended a doctor who performed a Caesarean section during which a baby boy died. 

The infant's head was sliced during the procedure and his brain tissue penetrated. The doctor would continue to receive a basic salary.

The decision to take action against the doctor came after a meeting of the North Central Regional Health Authority (NCRHA). The chair of the board, Dr
Shehenaz Mohammed, told local media the board reviewed a preliminary report on the matter and decided to suspend the doctor pending the report of an independent investigation.

The decision was made on the basis of the report and the result of an autopsy. Mohammed told the Express newspaper the board also consulted Health Minister Dr Fuad Khan before issuing the suspension letter.

The Express said the senior consultant on call on the day of the incident was not present for the procedure as required by rules established by the health authorities, citing unnamed sources. The newspaper said the senior doctor would be called to explain why the doctor was allowed to lead the surgery unsupervised.

Mohammed told the Guardian newspaper the preliminary report raised a significant number of questions and concerns. She between 20 and 25 medical personnel attended to the patient from the time she was admitted to being discharged.

"Basically there were three units involved. There was the Obstetrics and Gynecology Unit, which comprised one consultant, one registrar, two house officers and two interns. 

"There was the anaesthetic team, of a similar composition, as well as nurses in the neonatal ward, the operating theatre and the postnatal ward," Mohammed said. "These are the people involved in the management of the patient. We are, however, not saying that they are guilty,” she added.

She said the hospital administration has offered counselling to family as well as to the doctor.

Quelly Ann Cottle and Emill Millington

The suspended doctor performed the C-Section on Quelly Ann Cottle at the Mt Hope Women’s Hospital on Carnival Saturday.

The baby’s father, Emil Millington, told the Express hospital staff tried to cover up the incident by trying to cremate the dead baby before allowing him to see the body. He refused to let that happen.
 
The baby’s body is now at a funeral home.