Public Health Ministry to convene strategic meeting with GPHC officials today

Nov 16, 2016 News

…as part of plans to help arrest instances of maternal deaths

The Ministry of Public Health will this morning be convening a meeting at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) with a view of helping to arrest cases of maternal deaths. This is according to Minister of Public Health, Dr. George Norton, who lamented yesterday that too many women die from avoidable situations during delivery.
In fact the Minister observed there are countries with populations far exceeding Guyana’s that record a fraction of the maternal deaths recorded here annually.
For this year Guyana has already recorded 11 maternal deaths.
“Even a single death is too many and we need to address this,” said the Minister as he spoke of plans for a team from his Ministry, drawn mainly from the Maternal and Child Health Unit that will be heading to the Maternity Unit of the GPHC, to discuss with officials there the way forward.
“We came and met the situation (of too many maternal deaths) but we recognise there is a problem and we will not just sit down and let it continue,” assured the Minister in an invited comment to this publication yesterday.
The Minister’s remarks were forthcoming even as he commented on the most recent maternal death at the GPHC.
According to reports reaching Kaieteur News, 32-year-old Rhondia Cornelius of Gafoor Compound, Land of Canaan, East Bank Demerara, died at the GPHC last Saturday (November 12) days after giving birth.
Reports are that the woman, several days before giving birth, was rushed to the hospital suffering from high blood pressure. Her condition was treated and she was sent home.
However, this publication understands that when she was subsequently admitted to deliver her baby, Cornelius was administered cytotec to help induce labour.
Cytotec has long been regarded as an effective means to abort a foetus within 12 weeks of pregnancy. While some countries have banned the use of this drug altogether because of associated complication including bleeding, Guyana has been using it over the years to help induce labour.
But reports suggest that Cornelius had a safe delivery. She, however, reportedly suffered some tearing.
This publication was informed that it was while at home the woman developed some bleeding and was rushed back to the GPHC where she died on Saturday. The family is concerned about this development and is calling for an investigation.
Indeed a probe into the death of the woman has commenced, according to Minister Norton. The matter is one that will gain the attention of the Ministry’s Expert Committee which was formulated to investigate maternal-related deaths.
Further action will be taken, the Minister said, if the ongoing investigation finds that person or persons are culpable.
What is, however, worrying to the Minister, is that eight of the 11 maternal deaths that have been recorded by his Ministry for this year occurred at the GPHC. However, while some of the cases might have been referrals from other institutions, the Minister said that he will never be receptive of mothers dying during delivery.
The GPHC is the country’s main referral hospital, catering to outlying and other areas while at the same time serving as the Region Four regional hospital.

Discover more from Kaieteur News

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Latest News