Tuesday, January 31, 2012

SWRHA investigating why ambulance refused to help mother and dying baby

Stacy Simon
The South West Regional Health Authority (SWRHA) said on Monday it is investigating reports that two Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) refused to transport a dying child to the San Fernando General Hospital last Friday.

The boy, 21-month-old Akhail Simon, was pronounced dead on arrival at hospital.

The Chief Executive Officer of the authority Dr. Anil Gosine said, "I would have to do further investigations on our side to see what really happened there. I need to find out what took place."

Stacy Simon reported that an personnel in an ambulance attached to the SWRHA refused to take her and her child to the hospital. She said when she waved the ambulance to a stop in La Romaine there was room to take her and her baby to hospital.

Simon added that a patient on a stretcher and two women were seated in the rear of the ambulance. Gosine told reporters the driver cannot make the decision on who to pick up.

Health Minister Dr Fuad Khan said on Sunday he is "disgusted" about what he called "the inhumane behaviour" of the healthcare technicians who refused to provide assistance to the mother and child.

A report in the Express newspaper Tuesday said Simon's baby was already dead when a doctors at the Gulf View Medical Centre saw the infant. The paper quoted the doctor as saying that he was seeing another patient when the mother and child came to the office without an appointment.

"There were no signs of any activity. The pupils were dilated. Yes, I told her take him to the emergency of the San Fernando Hospital," the Express quoted the doctor as saying, noting the the person asked not to be identified.

The paper said when it asked why the child was referred to the hospital if was dead the doctor offered this explanation:


"Because it becomes a DMO (District Medical Officer) case, where you need to do post-mortem, an autopsy. And that could not be handled in private settings.

"In that sort of situation we usually have to send them to the hospital to get an autopsy, (to find out) what is the cause of death. In a private setting you cannot do that. In private setting usually the District Medical Officer becomes involved. So in private setting you cannot organise that. Let's put it this way."

The doctor also offered an explanation to the paper about why he didn't request an ambulance: "There was a gentleman who brought the baby and I thought he was the one to be carrying the baby across. And he did not object. I automatically thought there was transport. So as soon as I said that they came out of office. Immediately I told them they have to get the baby to the Casualty and they left office immediately."

The paper said Stacy Simon said the doctor did not tell her the child was dead, only that she should take him to the hospital. The Express quoted her as saying, "The doctor used the stethoscope and listened to the baby's chest and heart. He didn't try to do anything, no medicine or anything. He just shook his head to the assistant. He then told us to take the child to Casualty."

No comments:

Jai & Sero

Jai & Sero

Our family at home in Toronto 2008

Our family at home in Toronto 2008
Amit, Heather, Fuzz, Aj, Jiv, Shiva, Rampa, Sero, Jai