– CEO says doctor, nurses did their best
The parents of a nine-year-old girl who was admitted to the New Amsterdam Hospital on Sunday with kidney and asthma problems are claiming that she died as a result of negligence, though health officials say medical personnel did their best for the child.
Tony and Lynette De Cunha, of Angoy’s Avenue, New Amsterdam, told Stabroek News yesterday that their daughter, Tania, was admitted to the hospital with kidney and asthma problems. They said although the doctor prescribed oxygen for her, the nurses did not administer it right away.
However, in an invited comment, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the hospital Dr Vishwa Mahadeo said girl was admitted in a serious condition and the hospital was not responsible for her death.
He said prior to the girl being admitted on Sunday she was a patient there a few weeks ago for three days. Because of her critical state, she had to be ambulanced to the Georgetown Public Hospital for treatment.
Mahadeo added that Dr Yacoob, who was treating the girl, was with her at the time “up to the last”. However, he said he was investigating the matter. He said that so far the investigations have revealed that the girl’s death was not as a result of negligence.
Lynette De Cunha said that around 9 pm on Monday the girl complained of having difficulty breathing. She asked the nurse what the doctor had prescribed and was told oxygen. According to Lynette, “I ask her ‘if the doctor prescribed oxygen then why you don’t give her’ and she responded, ‘she not breathing properly; she not ok…?’ Then she come and put it on.”
She said the doctor was summoned and he was trying to infuse blood when the oxygen tank went off. As a result, the girl “vomited, rolled up her eyes and took her last breath.”
The mother pointed out that she later learnt that the gauge on the oxygen tank was not working and the nurse did not know that the tank was almost empty. She said that about 10 minutes later she “was outside screaming when I saw the porter rolling another bottle of oxygen from a distance, to the ward.”
Mahadeo denied that the oxygen bottle was empty and that the gauge was not working, saying the doctor and nurses did their best.
The woman said her husband asked the porters, “What’s the use of bringing it now when she already dead?”
She added, “I don’t want anything from the hospital; I am only looking for justice. I don’t want this to happen to someone else’s child. I would have been satisfied if she had died while taking oxygen or while there was still oxygen in the bottle.”
She also related that she spent the night with her daughter on Sunday and left early on Monday morning. She said when she returned for the midday visit she noticed that the child’s skin was red and learnt that she was given antibiotics even though her chart mentioned that she was allergic to them.
Lynette confirmed that her daughter was admitted to the hospital a few weeks ago and was transferred to Georgetown because of her condition. She said the girl was discharged from Georgetown Hospital last Tuesday and “was recovering” until she started having difficulty breathing again around 10 pm on Sunday. The woman pointed out that when her daughter was at the Georgetown Hospital, the oxygen was always at her bedside.
