Autopsy scheduled today in GPHC maternity death

A post-mortem examination is expected to be conducted today to determine the cause of death of Relisa Sam, the young woman who died on Sunday, two weeks after undergoing a caesarean-section (c-section) delivery at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation, a relative has said.

Public Health Minister George Norton had told Stabroek News that Sam was hospitalised right up until she died on Sunday evening.

The minister said Sam, whose addresses were given as Matthews Ridge and Lot 229 South Road and Cummings Street, Bourda underwent a second C-section at the Public Hospital on July 8 and then had an intervention done the following week on July 15 since her cut was not healing. “They found that the reason for that… The infection was due to an alteration of the appendix,” he said.

The appendicitis, he said, may be “independent of the CS.”

Norton told this newspaper that by the time the intervention was done, the infection had spread to her other organs and described her condition as “general septicemia.”

He added that he has since received the young woman’s chart and is expecting a report on the circumstances of her death shortly.

Asked about the status of the child, the minister confirmed that the baby, a girl, was in good health and was still at the hospital.