Latest update March 28th, 2024 12:59 AM
Feb 03, 2015 News
Had it not been for Paul Clarke, a British volunteer who has been flying locally for the past two years, the fate of her baby boy would have been unknown.
This is according to an Aishalton, Region Nine teenager who delivered her baby in mid-air two Saturdays ago with the help of her sister and the pilot, who is attached to the Rural Air Medical Services (RAMS).
The 14 year -old, who cannot be named because of her age, was in an advanced stage of labour. She was placed on board the aircraft to be taken to the Lethem hospital.
This newspaper was told that about 10 minutes into the 45-minute flight to Lethem, it became clear that the baby was ready to enter the world.
With no other choice, the pilot and the teen’s sister had to deliver the baby.
In an interview at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) yesterday, the teen related that her experience that Saturday was the scariest thing she has ever endured.
She thanked the pilot for his assistance and cooperation, during what she described as the most difficult occurrence in her life.
Recalling what transpired on that day, the teen said that she went to the Aishalton hospital to deliver her baby, but the nurse on duty informed her that she (nurse) cannot deliver the child because she (teen) is a minor.
She said that she was then referred to the Lethem Hospital.
When asked why medical personnel did not accompany her to the better equipped Lethem hospital, the teen was unable to answer.
While on the flight, she said that she could have felt the baby making its way out and cried out for help.
The pilot, she said, gave her sister a blanket for her to lie on and they both assisted in delivering the baby.
When the plane landed at Lethem, both mother and baby were rushed by an ambulance to the area hospital from which they were eventually transferred to the GPHC; after the infant developed breathing complications.
The heroic pilot in an interview had told Kaieteur News that throughout the delivery the plane was flying at about 3,000 feet.
“I was hoping that she was going to wait until we got to Lethem…but she decided that she was going to have it right there and then,” Clarke said.
He explained that he decided to take his headset off and turn around in his seat to assist in the delivery procedure.
“The baby was already coming out, so there was no point in landing or waiting to get to Lethem.
I wanted to make sure that the baby was all right, because it was coming out…so I just turned around and delivered the baby, and every now and then I was watching to see that everything was all right,” Clarke explained.
He said that he did not cut the umbilical cord, “since there was no need to do that…I just made sure that the baby was breathing and just placed it on the mother’s chest.”
It was the first time that Clarke has had to assist in the delivery of a baby, while in the air.
Social workers from the Child Care and Protection Agency are dealing with this case due to the mother’s age.
THIS IDIOT TELLING GUYANA WE HAVE NO SAY IN THE 50% PROFIT SHARING AGREEMENT WE HAVE WITH EXXON.
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