Mother seeks answers after newborn’s death at GPHC

Zoraida Bacchus is demanding answers from the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) following the tragic death of her baby at the health facility.

Bacchus, who was preparing to deliver for the first time, was advised by medical workers that she needed to do a cesarean section, as previous clinic visits had indicated that the baby was large and a surgical delivery would be necessary.

Bacchus, who is in her mid-twenties, was informed to arrive at the hospital on April 28 to be prepped for the C-section.

However, upon her arrival that day, doctors changed the plan and informed her that she would no longer be undergoing surgery and instead, they would have to induce labour for a natural birth.

It is alleged that the mother was given three tablets to consume, which reportedly had no immediate effect. Later, she was placed on saline drips, after which labour pains began.

On April 29, she was then taken to the labour ward and instructed to push.

Simone Bacchus, the woman’s aunt, told this publication that due to the baby’s large size, the infant became stuck in the birth canal.

In response to this, one nurse reportedly applied pressure to the mother’s belly while another was trying to pull out the baby.

During this process, the mother heard a sound she described as a “pax” – which, in her view, sounded as if the baby’s bone was broken.

Meanwhile, the baby did not cry upon coming out of the womb, however the mother noticed the infant groaning in pain.

Amidst this, doctors told the mother that the baby had lost oxygen during delivery. Medical staff reportedly placed the baby on oxygen via an oxygenated mask and reassured the mother that in a few hours, the mask could be removed and she would be able to breastfeed. This never happened, according to the aunt.

However, on the following day – April 30 – while the mother was resting, she received a call from the doctor, informing her that her baby had passed away.

The woman was then moved to another ward on a lower ground, and to her surprise, she found the baby’s body left in a box outside the yard of the hospital, by a post.

Upon this realisation and request for the baby to be moved, doctors reportedly placed the baby inside of the hospital. The mother was told that the baby would need to be taken to the mortuary and to return the next day for the postmortem examination.

The autopsy revealed that the baby had a hole in his heart and internal bleeding in the intestines.

Samples were collected for further testing, and the mother was told that she would not receive a death certificate until the full cause of death was determined, which could take up to three weeks.

After the autopsy was completed, the mother questioned the pathologist about the “pax” sound she heard during delivery. It was only then that the pathologist reportedly explained that the baby had broken his shoulder and that such injuries can happen during difficult deliveries.

The woman’s aunt is contending that the circumstances surrounding the baby’s death are suspicious and she demands better answers from the GPHC.