UNFORTUNATE INCIDENT AT THE WELIMADA HOSPITAL

Doctor who made the delivery had confirmed that all triplets had died. When the shift doctor had arrived before the bodies were taken to the mortuary, he had observed that one baby was alive:

The other day triplets were born prematurely to a mother at the Welimada Base Hospital. The doctor in charge of the ward had made a serious blunder in ordering to take the bodies of the triplets to the mortuary, when one baby had survived and was having life. This has been reported as a medical misadventure and an unfortunate incident.

The births had taken place in the night. The doctor who attended to the deliveries had certified that all three babies had died as they were premature. A signature had been taken from the father of the babies born dead by the hospital staff in confirmation of the deaths,

However the doctor of the ward who had reported for taking up duties at 8.45 a.m the following day had noticed that one baby was alive and prevented that baby been taken to the mortuary. The baby who was living and the mother had been in good health condition. The father of the babies had given an interview to the ‘Mawbima’ newspaper with regard to the entire episode. He suspects that the other two babies who also had cried at the time of delivery may also have been alive and it would have occurred owing to negligence of the hospital staff.

His story and views are as follows:

“We were married for the past seven years. This was his wife’s second confinement. We are farmers by profession, growing vegetables. We have a son who is five years old. We knew from reports of doctors that my wife had conceived when the foetus was three months old. The doctors at the Badulla Hospital informed that my wife has conceived and it was with triplets

As she was to have triplets doctors and the nursing staff gave her special treatment. The doctors confirmed that the triplets to be born and the mother were all in good health condition. The incident in question occurred on the 26th of August. On that day around 9.45 p.m my wife who was normal complained of a back pain at 10 p.m. At 10.45 p.m. I admitted her to the Welimada Base hospital which is closer to our home .One of the nurses advised us to take her to the Badulla hospital as hers was a complicated case. The distance from our house to the Badulla hospital is about 40 kilometres .I told as it is far she was brought to the Welimada Base hospital.

The nurses took her to the maternity ward and the two women who accompanied her and me were asked to go. She had been screaming with pain. The doctor had arrived only after a lapse of 45 minutes. They did not bother to send the patient to the Badulla General Hospital. At around mid night the doctor had delivered the babies in the normal manner. The doctor had told my wife that all babies born were premature babies. The doctor had told my wife that all the babies had died as they were born prematurely and they could not be brought up.

My wife had made a plea to the doctor to show the face of one baby to see. She had been told that if the babies remained until the 15th of September, they would have completed eight months and then their lives would have been saved. She was told that 80% of such children survive. She had not been shown the babies. The husband had gone home without any news after staying near the gate until 2 a.m. I was not aware whether the children were born or whether they are living or not and also whether the patient was taken to Badulla Hospital,the details were not made known to him.

In the morning I rang my sister to tell the story. She had found out from the Nurses in the ward that the triplets who had normal deliveries have all died. I came to the hospital at 6.45 a.m. I was terribly upset mentally and could not bear the shock. When I went to the ward they informed of the unfortunate deaths of the triplets, who were shown to him kept on a tray.

They took a statement from me and wanted to sign a letter confirming having seen the dead babies kept on a tray. On the instructions of the matron I did what was told to me. At 8.45 a.m another doctor came to the ward on duty and inspected the babies who were to be taken to the mortuary. This doctor on examining the babies said one baby is alive.

My wife and this baby who was alive were taken to the Badulla General Hospital in an ambulance along with the nursing staff. Arrangements were made by the hospital authorities to bury the two dead babies in the hospital premises itself. The reaction of the staff to this incident was very peculiar and they were more or less laughing while talking about the episode.

At the Badulla General Hospital my wife had been given three pints of blood and had been looked after well. But at the Welimada Base hospital no treatment was given to her and a diagnosis card or any other letter/document was given to me.”

The Director of the Welimada Base Hospital Dr Rohan C.K.Mapa had commenced an investigation into this incident. It had been told that if any irregularities were found he would bring it to the notice the higher authorities. Those found guilty would be dealt with accordingly.

The father of the babies, the Samarasinghe family had sorrowfully confessed that this tragedy occurred to us for which we suffered mentally and hereafter such an incident should never occur to any other mother or family for that matter. It was a bit of a fun for the staff attached to the Welimada Base Hospital.

It is puzzling to know why the patient was not initially sent to the Badulla General Hospital. The father of the dead babies has a suspicion that the other two babies who had cried like the one who survived may have died owing to the negligence of the staff attached to the Welimada Base Hospital.

Newspaper article by: Keppetipola: Premalal Ratnayake and Welimada: Ernie Dambadeniya