Another baby dies; allegations of hospital negligence…

There are more allegations of negligence at public hospitals around the country. In the past few days, we have reported on two babies from Punta Gorda who died under questionable circumstances and whose mothers allege neglect by hospital authorities. The two babies died within nine days of each other. Tonight we turn to the north, the home of the Minister of Health. An infant was stillborn at the Corozal Town Hospital in striking similarity to Baby Andy Jones of Punta Gorda who was born with the umbilical cord wrapped around his neck. In grief and in pain, the young mother recounted the tragic tale of her baby’s death and says it was due to negligence. The nineteen year old mother, Glendy Chi, hails from San Pedro Village in the Corozal District, a small village off the Northern Highway. Chi was too emotional and in obvious anguish to talk on camera but we got her account of what happened. Chi said that on Sunday, she went to the Corozal Town Hospital because she was past her due date for delivery of her child. She said her delivery date was May twenty-fourth and she was in pain. She informed the attending doctor who decided to keep her for observation. But Chi said she remained there with little attention. She grew desperate and on Wednesday her father went to the hospital and pleaded that his daughter needed induced labour. The family was told that they had to go and purchase the required medication. The family so did and the baby was delivered at twelve-twenty on Thursday morning. But it was too late. The baby was still-born and his umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck. Chi alleges that since Monday she begged the doctor to induce labour so that she could have her baby. But the doctor wanted her to have a natural birth, and instead of receiving the help she was asking for, Chi said the only thing they did on Monday and Tuesday was to check her and her baby’s heart rate. She alleges that she was not checked by the gynecologist and that she gave birth in the presence of two nurses only. It was not until Chi had given birth after midnight that the gynecologist showed up and tried unsuccessfully to resuscitate the newborn infant. Chi said that she asked to be released the same day because of the grief that she was suffering being around other babies in the hospital. She buried her baby the same day.