Maternal death of Luan Rodney…Health Minister refuses to comment on status of implicated doctors

Jan 28, 2014 News

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Minister of Health, Dr Bheri Ramsaran, yesterday flipped the proverbial table on media operatives when asked to confirm reports that two doctors implicated in a maternal death, which reeked of negligence and poor management, are in fact back on the job at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).

The doctors, this publication understands, should have since last year been engaged in remedial training programmes as they, along with two nurses, were found culpable following investigations into the death of 28-year-old Luan Rodney in the Maternity Unit of the GPHC. Rodney died as a result of a ruptured uterus, resulting in hypovolemic shock. Her baby girl was delivered still born.
But instead of commenting on the state of affairs, the Minister assumed a “tantrum mode” and urged media operatives to seek their information elsewhere.  “You are asking questions that you shouldn’t be asking here…You go find those questions out; ask are they in training (or) are they on reprimand? What are they on?  You go do research; I am saying now in front of cameras go do some research …you’re gonna accuse me of being arrogant (but) go do your work,” continued the ranting Health Minister.
And even as he walked away from the inquiring members of the media, the Minister warned that he wasn’t going to speak further on the issue. “I have had enough of the media for today.”
This publication had, in its Monday Edition, reported that the doctors were slated to resume normal duties despite recommendations from an Expert Committee that they undergo training to address their respective shortcomings in light of the Rodney case.
In seeking additional information on the matter “elsewhere” yesterday this publication was able to ascertain that the doctors were in fact, back on the job since last year.
This was in spite of disclosures by Chief Medical Officer, Dr Shamdeo Persaud, that the doctors were slated to undergo academic probation as well as further training geared at improving their medical performances.
Although they had been enrolled in a post-graduate training programme, Dr Persaud had said that “we do hope that they can be further tutored in the areas in which they were identified not to respond effectively in the management of the patient.”
He added too that “they could probably be censored in some way. Regardless of what is said, once an issue like this goes to the (Medical) Council, it will always matter, because if they (the doctors) seek a certificate it could be revealed that they were investigated and found to be negligent or they had a malpractice or something.”
Although it was recommended by the investigating Committee that the doctors remain off the job until they would have completed specified training, instructions had come directly from the Ministry of Health to have them return to their practice.
Reports are that the decision was in fact influenced by a Senior Medical Official who recommended to the Ministry that the two doctors be brought back on the job in spite of the Committee’s recommendations.

Kaieteur News understands that the decision for the doctors’ return was made at a meeting attended by several senior Ministry of Health officials.
But even though the Minister accused this publication of being mischievous, he however did not deny nor offer any answers into reports that interventions were made to have the doctors return to work. He nevertheless questioned whether such a move could have constituted a breach in the recommendations made by the investigating Committee.
“That is what we are looking at,” mused the Minister.
He disclosed that the matter was yesterday morning extensively discussed at his management meeting. “That occupied a main portion of (yesterday’s) meeting…so we are looking at that and we are seeing where there might have been deficiencies, not only on the part of the doctors, but the part of the nurses too.”
Investigation had revealed that there were four nurses on the ward but three, at the time of the death, were on rest period. “It is mind-boggling…How (can) three nurses be on rest at the same time? So we are looking at those things,” said the Minister.
Moreover, the Minister said that the media must seek “to be careful how you are demonising people…you have to look at the entire picture. Treating a patient is not only the doctors, it is the nurses, the doctors, the pharmacists…it is everybody.”
The two doctors, along with two nurses, were sent off on administrative leave last year to probe the circumstances that led to the demise of Rodney, who was admitted a patient in the Maternity Unit of the hospital to deliver her second child.
The woman’s delivery was reportedly overdue and therefore labour was induced with the use of Cytotec on the night of June 3, 2013.  She died in the wee hours of the following morning.
There are reports that the woman was not closely monitored although this is an imperative recommendation when labour is induced, a notion that was emphasised by the Health Minister himself following the maternal death.

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