Patient dies in uncertified surgery, intestines sewn together

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Doctor in maternity death case takes Medical Council to court

-claims he was wrongly stripped of licence

New Amsterdam gynaecologist, Dr. Narinedatt Sooknanan has taken the Guyana Medical Council to court for stripping him of his licence, after ruling that his negligence caused the death of a maternity patient some two years ago.

An official from the Council confirmed on Saturday that he had received a writ to appear in the High Court in connection with the case.

The Council had stripped Sooknanan of his licence some months ago after an investigation into the October 13, 2003 death of maternity patient, Deborah Crawford.

The Council had appointed an independent gynaecologist to conduct an investigation.

The 38-year-old patient of Corriverton, Corentyne died at the New Amsterdam Hospital 's maternity ward after suffering massive haemorrhaging during delivery. Her baby also died.

It is alleged that Sooknanan had been advised that Crawford undergo a Caesarean section because of the size of her baby.

However, the gynaecologist had reportedly ignored this advice and induced labour, resulting in the patient suffering a ruptured uterus.

In a statement to the Medical Council in 2003, the patient's mother, Shirley Crawford, said that her daughter was admitted to the New Amsterdam Hospital's Maternity Department on October 12, 2003.

Prior to her admission, she had attended the clinic for high-risk patients at the New Amsterdam Hospital and also the Skeldon Estate clinic.

She alleged that the estate medic had discovered that the patient had developed a diabetic condition.

Crawford was reportedly treated with insulin and it was recommended that her baby be delivered by Caesarean section.

This was suggested because it was felt that her diabetic condition would cause the fetus to be larger than normal and put her at risk of haemorrhaging.

This information was reportedly documented on the patient's clinic card.

But according to the mother's statement, Dr. Sooknanan disagreed with this diagnosis.

On October 13, 2003, her daughter gave birth at the New Amsterdam Hospital .

“We were told that the baby was not delivered by Caesarean section and that she suffered massive haemorrhaging during the delivery. Her uterus was also removed,” Mrs. Crawford stated.

According to the statement, the patient's husband, Leon Vaughn, said that the medical staff told him that Deborah needed blood.

However, there was a lengthy delay before she was given blood, and Deborah and the baby died on October 13.

The investigation was delayed for several months because Dr. Sooknanan was undergoing medical treatment overseas.

Monday - September 11, 2005