Georgetown Public Hospital has dismissed a senior doctor while two others have been suspended in connection with a stillbirth at the facility, the country’s primary health care institution. A stillbirth refers to the death of a baby in the womb after twenty or twenty-eight weeks.
The case in question was that of a Venezuelan national who complained about the treatment she received at the facility. The woman believed that her baby died due to negligence on the part of the doctors.
The GPHC in a press statement today said the decision was taken following an independent review panel that found that the managing doctors did not adhere to the required medical protocols.
The panel recommended the termination of a senior doctor who had oversight of the shift and case and whose failure to supervise contributed to breaches in protocol along with the suspension of two doctors with senior oversight of the case for the period of twenty-eight days.
According to the hospital, it has since met with the patient and her relatives to provide a full update on the investigation’s outcome and the corrective actions taken.
The family, the statement said, indicated their satisfaction with the measures implemented. The hospital said it deeply regretted the incident and acknowledged the impact it has had on the family.
GPHC said it is committed to continuous improvement, accountability and upholding the highest standards of patient care, adding that it will take all the necessary steps to prevent similar occurrences in the future.