Latest update February 14th, 2025 8:22 AM
Health officials meet with mother of dead Surinamese woman
– promises that investigation will be thorough
Minister of Health, Dr. Bheri Ramsaran, has vowed to leave no stone unturned as an investigation into
Dead: Kamili Arjune
the death of 22-year-old Kamili Arjune continues.
At least this is according to the dead woman’s mother, Kowsilla, during an interview with this publication yesterday.
Arjune, according to reports reaching this publication, had visited Dr. Rahaman’s Clinic on Good Friday to have a pregnancy terminated. Reports suggest that the process lasted for about one hour after which the attending doctor told Arjune’s aunt, Valley Permaul, that she was dead. Permaul had accompanied the young woman to the clinic.
This publication was told that the dead woman’s family members are convinced that attempts at a cover up are being made to remove blame from the doctor who attended to the woman. Moreover, soon after the woman’s death they began calling on the relevant health authority, including the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) to look into the worrying death.
A post mortem examination was inconclusive and Kowsilla related yesterday, that an officer attached to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Berbice, informed her that samples were taken from her daughter’s remains and sent to Georgetown for further tests. The woman said she was not told exactly where the further tests were slated to be done. She was however, privy to information that the tests are not yet completed.
Kowsilla said that after her daughter’s death was reported in the media, she received a telephone call from the Ministry of Health inviting her to a meeting at the office of the Minister of Health.
There, the woman said that Minister of Health, Dr. Bheri Ramsaran and Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Shamdeo Persaud, told her that they learnt of the death from the (Kaieteur News) newspaper. The officials also told the woman that such a death should have been reported to the Health Ministry within 24 hours after it occurred, but this was not the case. “They said that they were sorry about what happened and sympathised with me…They even tell me how the doctor should have known better,” said the still grieving mother who said that she is currently making preparations to bury her daughter on Friday at Whim.
According to the woman, Arjune, a Surinamese national, was the eldest of her three children. And she disclosed yesterday too, that the health officials were particularly concerned that the doctor who attended to her daughter did not do sufficient tests, if any, to determine whether her daughter was strong enough for the intended procedure. “They said that he had no nurse assisting him too,” the woman related to this publication.
As such, the woman said that the Minister promised that the matter will be investigated thoroughly. “I need justice for my daughter…that is all I want right now,” said the woman.
Dr. Persaud, during an earlier interview with this publication, said that it is required by law that once a pregnancy related death occurs it should be reported to his office. “Any woman who dies during any stage of pregnancy or up to 42 days after delivery, must be reported to the relevant authority (the CMO’s office),” said Dr. Persaud as he related, that it is expected that such deaths within Regions Two, Three, Four, Five, Six and 10 must be reported within 24 hours. While those that occur in the hinterland regions, must be reported within 72 hours.
“I am currently investigating all sides of the legality of this doctor’s operation…I will write to him to get a complete statement of the evidence that led to the demise of the young lady,” said Dr. Persaud as he informed, that because the matter was reported to him it constitutes a breach.
Added to this, the CMO asserted that “if he (the doctor) is not certified it is a further infringement.”
Without certification, the actions of the doctor could be classified as misconduct or malpractice, which will attract disciplinary measures from the Guyana Medical Council. Should the doctor be found guilty of causing the woman’s death, the Council, according to Dr. Persaud, could mete out sanctions such as a letter of reprimand, suspension of licence (determined by both the Council and the Minister of Health) or he could be struck off the Council’s list of doctors eligible to practice in Guyana.
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