The nurse who mistreated a Moruca mother during her delivery at the Suddie Public Hospital in Region Two will be disciplined.
This is according to Regional Health Officer Dr Ranjeev Singh who said that measures are now in place to avoid such occurrences in the future. He said that he has written to the Region’s personnel department and is waiting to be guided on what disciplinary action can be taken.
Dr. Singh acknowledged that he was very disturbed after learning about the incident which was reported in Stabroek News but is happy that the newborn is healthy. However he pointed out that the incident has caused management at the Suddie Public Hospital to tighten up its precautionary measures so as to protect mothers as well as to ensure that there are always safe deliveries. He also used the opportunity to apologise to the 27-year-old mother, Dawn Jose, of Region One, for the inconvenience and pain, the delivery caused.
The incident had led the Regional Health Officer to immediately summon a meeting with the staff of the maternity ward to reminding them of their duties and responsibilities to the nation. He also reminded them that they gave a commitment to serve the nation and while they may have issues that affect them personally, those should be put aside when attending to patients.
The mother of six was admitted on July 17, for two weeks at the public hospital. The mother began experiencing contractions on July 30 and although she told the nurse on duty that she was ready to deliver she was given harsh treatment. The mother eventually delivered her baby in the absence of the nurse which resulted in the baby falling into the maternity bin instead of on the bed. When this newspaper questioned if the bin was contaminated, Dr Singh assured that it was a sterile bin used to store the afterbirth from the delivery. He stressed that at no time was the bin contaminated.
Since the incident, the mother had called on the media to assist her in highlighting the issue as well as for the nurse to be removed. She is however thankful that her newborn did not fall to the floor and is alive and healthy.
