Pregnant mother died due to low quality drugs

The life of a woman who died after delivering a baby at the De Soysa Maternity Hospital (DMH) Colombo would have been saved if quality drugs were available at the hospital, said the gynecologist who had performed a Cesarean operation on the patient, who was giving evidence before the City Coroner’s court.

This was stated by the consultant obstetrician and gynecologist (VOG) Anura S. Ruwanpathirana, of Ward 16 of the DMH during the inquest before City Coroner Edward Ahangama into the death of 27 years old R. Madushani Nisansala of Horogolla, Nittambuwa who died after a Caesarian was performed on her prior to childbirth.

C.J Rajaguru, the A JMO of the National Hospital, Colombo, in his autopsy report had ruled that the death was due to multi-organ failure due to a septic and infected abdomen and pelvis.

Dr Shirene Nanayakkarain in her evidence said that she was a MRCOG degree holder and that the patient did not have any complications at the time that she was admitted to hospital. However the doctors had performed a Caesarean operation on the patient due to a delayed delivery of the baby.

She said the patient had developed a fever a day after the Caesarean operation was performed and antibiotics had been prescribed by the chief house officer. However as no improvement of the patient’s condition was observed, witness had been called upon to examine the patient and she had discovered an abscess or hematoma on the patient’s abdomen and  recommended laparoscopic surgery but it had not been carried out for a considerable period of time.

She said during that time the patient was kept on antibiotics. On August 6, the patient had been discharged from hospital in view of the fact that the fever had abated. However on August 7 the patient had again been admitted to the ward with high fever.

The husband in his evidence said that he had married the deceased after a love affair that he had had with her for eleven years. He said he was shocked by the death of his wife on August 11, 2011.

He said that as no improvement of the condition of the patient was observed after the Caesarian operation he had got an appointment with Dr Ruwanpathirana on August10 after paying Rs 1080 to the Central Hospital to consult the doctor as no proper treatment had been given to his wife.

He said hat even though the registrar who examined his wife had recommended a laparoscopic operation on her it had not been done until August 10 after he had consulted the doctor. Witness said the doctors had said that his wife was had an impending septicaemia.

Dr. Ruwanpathirana, in his evidence, said that the husband of the deceased had consulted him on August 10 and a laparoscopic operation had been performed on the patient afterwards. He said Dr .Wasantha Abeydeera had examined the patient and no complications in the renal or cardiac systems had been detected.

He said the operation had been performed on August 10, 2011and the patient had been given antibiotics menopenum and augumentin for the infections.
However the patent could not be cured due to low quality drugs. He said if good antibiotics quality had been available her life could have been saved.

 

Courtesy: DM Online