[www.inewsguyana.com] – On Thursday, November 28, a 39-year old mother from Warapoka, Region One who was advised to deliver her baby at the Kwebanna health centre, but instead delivered at her home and bled to death.
Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr Shamdeo Persaud said that by the time she arrived at Kwebanna she had already died. The Health Ministry has ordered a post mortem and investigation into the death.
The CMO also reported that on November 23, another death occurred at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation. The mother who was a 43- year old known hypertensive patient, collapsed in the labour room and died shortly after.
She had an aortic aneurysm that ruptured. Investigations are ongoing and necessary actions are to be implemented, he stated.
Thus far for 2013, fifteen maternal deaths were reported, nine of which were due directly to maternal causes. Two are yet to be classified, while four are related to other causes- two caused by the contraction of malaria during pregnancy and two due to high blood pressure not related to pregnancy.
The deaths which occurred due to direct maternal causes are: from post partum hemorrhaging, pregnancy induced hypertension; and from Septicemia (infection). The age groups of the mothers were above 40 years (three), above 30 years (four) and one eighteen year old.
Dr. Persaud observed that the majority of cases of maternal death now occur with older women where it previously used to be younger women.
Giving a regional break down, the CMO said there were five deaths from Region Four, three from Region One, one each from Regions Three, Five, Six, and Seven and Eight, and two from Region Two.
Ten of the deaths occurred at the Georgetown Public Hospital, six of which were cases referred from other regions. One death each occurred at the New Amsterdam, Suddie, Balwant Singh and Diamond Hospitals and one occurred at home.
