Hospital promises probe into baby’s death

Dec 05, 2016 News

Losing a child is never easy but for Basanti Lall and her husband, Mohammed Khan, the mystery surrounding their infant son’s death is what makes it even more painful.
The couple’s trouble all started last Wednesday, when what was supposed to be an ordinary visit to the doctor’s office ended in tragedy.
The couple who reside at La Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara visited the Accident and Emergency Unit of the West Demerara Regional Hospital (WDRH), after their six month old developed a sudden fever coupled with bouts of diarrhea and vomiting.
According to the child’s mother, her son Sahil was a healthy baby.
“He didn’t have any complaints, but I took him to see the doctor after he started with this diarrhea and vomiting.”
The mother said that initially she took the child to a private physician at Vreed- En- Hoop but the symptoms persisted.  She noted that the private doctor prescribed some medicine for the infant but his condition did not improve.
“So we took my baby to (WDRH) Best Hospital and we explained to the doctor there, what happen and he decide to do a blood test on the baby.”

Distraught Parents: Basanti Lall and her husband, Mohammed Khan

The mother noted she and the sick baby had to wait quite a few hours before the blood test came back.
“All the time the baby having diarrhea and passing white …. I ask the nurse and doctor if I could feed him and they said no,” the mother stated.
She added that the doctor eventually told her that her baby would be fine; and jut gave the child saline and some medicine.
“After almost the entire night all they said is that they suspect is a bacteria and the baby fever gone and we could go home. He will be alright,” the grieving mother of six said.
The woman and her husband spent the entire night at the hospital before the baby was released early the next morning.
“The doctor said I should give him panadol syrup for the fever,” the mother said noting that the doctors recommended nothing for the diarrhea.
The couple subsequently travelled to their La Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara residence but after arriving home, they noticed something strange about their baby.
“We bathe him and he started turning blue in his hands and feet. We call a taxi quick and started for the hospital, but he didn’t make it. He get stiff and stopped breathing in the car.
Lall is adamant that the hospital could have done something to save her baby “but they just treated us like is nothing because we are poor people.”
“Look how long I had to wait for baby to get look after…”
The couple has since buried their infant son.
“It is hard for me to understand because I have other children and this never happen. It is very hard to lose my baby. “
A post mortem examination has revealed that the infant died due to bronchial asphyxiation (choking).
However, the mother is still not satisfied with the autopsy report. She still believes that there is much more to be explained.
“They said that something about baby feed getting into baby lungs because me aint burp he after he feed.”
Given their dissatisfaction, the couple lodged an official complaint with top officials of WDRH, who they said promised to investigate.