Family wants probe into death of mother at GPHC

A family is asking for an investigation to be done into the sudden death of a 30-year-old mother of two at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) earlier this month.

According to Bibi Khan, her daughter, Bibi Fariena Mohamed, visited the GPHC on December 28th, 2018, after going into labour with her second child. However, while she was able to deliver without any noted complications, Mohamed died days later while receiving treatment for shortness of breath.

Stabroek News understands that in the days leading up to her sudden passing, Mohamed noticed her newborn was having difficulty breathing, which doctors subsequently informed the family could have been as a result of the infant ingesting amniotic fluid during the delivery process.

A decision was then made to have the baby transferred to the Neonatal Unit and immediately where he was receiving treatment, while Mohamed, though discharged, remained in another section of the hospital.

It was noted that Mohamed found herself having to climb several flights of stairs in order to feed her newborn.

Khan noted that it was during one of these occasions that the paediatrician observed that Mohamed was experiencing shortness of breath, which resulted in a further probe by Mohamed’s doctors.

Stabroek News understands that as the days passed, the woman’s situation worsened to the point where doctors requested that she undergo a CT scan.

Khan said that when she arrived at the hospital, she found that Mohamed with wires attached to her and wearing an oxygen mask. The grieving mother further related that she paid for the CT scan and was told that her daughter would be taken via ambulance to another hospital in order for it to be done. However, she claims that time passed, with her pacing the corridors before she later learnt from doctors that Mohamed was too unstable to be moved. More time passed and she was informed of the possibility of Mohamed falling into a coma. Mohamed died later that same evening.

Stabroek News understands that a post-mortem examination that was conducted on Mohamed’s remains indicated that she suffered a heart attack. As a result, her family is calling for the Ministry of Public Health to launch a full investigation.

Khan told this newspaper that the family has since lodged a complaint with the GPHC’s complaints department but has not had any communication with the Ministry of Health since her daughter’s passing.