Recently - 7 days ago to be precise. I received a phone call from my sister (sister in-law in fact hey, what's the difference?) . She was heavily pregnant and i had been warming up for a godmother role (no rival!). She sounded distressed and wanted to know what she should do. I joggled my stale obstetrics knowledge and told her what she described to me over the phone was "meconium- stained liquor". In lay man's term- the baby was in distress and needed to be delivered PRONTO/ASAP. I encouraged her to return to her hospital immediately. She did.
I was comforted by this fact and slept believing all was well- it was NOT. 12 hours after presenting at the hospital, she had not been reviewed by her obstetrician. I urged her to move to another hospital as soon as she could. Before the move could be effected, the doctor showed up (16 hours after her obstetric emergency presented). She had emergency Caesarean section one hour later- baby was dead at birth.
Pray tell me.......
- Would the doctor have shown up earlier if this case was his family member?
- Would the doctor have responded promptly if she had presented to his private hospital and not the general hospital where he works?
- Should we ensure litigation/and proper redress sought with the heaviest possible penalty doled out?
- How many more women and unborn babies have been victims of this recklessness and conscienceless approach to work?
- how many more people will pay dearly for avoidable human errors like this?
- Who will be next victim.
