Doctor at Fuvahmulah Hospital refuses to deliver stillborn baby

A doctor at Fuvahmulah Hospital has refused to do C-section surgery on a nine-months pregnant woman whose baby had died in the womb.

The gynecologist refused to do a cesarean, saying she was not ready to take the risk as there was no surgeon or a pediatrician present, local media has reported.

A relative of the patient told Haveeru that they were now waiting for her to give birth naturally as the hospital does not have obstetric gel which is required to ease birth in such situations.

The Ministry of Health and Gender is currently investigating both incidents, telling the press that it would not comment before it had finished.

Citing the family member, Haveeru reported that the patient was first taken to the hospital after she started having labour pains and was immediately taken into the labour room around 10:45pm on May 31.

The hospital reported the next day that both the baby and the mother were in good health, said the relative.

“And this evening (June 1) around 5:30pm, the doctor came out of the labour room and suddenly said the baby has died. According to the doctor the baby’s heart beat went too low. They didn’t provide any further information,” they added.

According to local media reports the female doctor, a Pakistani national who joined the hospital four months ago, is the only gynecologist working at the hospital and had been involved in a similar incident the previous evening.

Media reported that the doctor had refused to do cesarean surgery on a 25-year-old woman brought into the hospital, stating that she was scared to go ahead with it.

Reports say that after making an incision into the patient,  the doctor then sewed it up before the woman was transferred to Hithadhoo regional hospital in the neighbouring atoll for delivery.

Meanwhile, opposition Maldivian Democratic Party MP Rozaina Adam has today submitted a medical negligence bill to the parliament stating it to be “very important in light of the current medical situation in the Maldives”.

Rozaina told Minivan News that the bill, drafted in 2011, was delayed as she was awaiting both comments and two other bills from the Health Ministry, which medical professionals had told her would complement her proposed legislation.

Following the transfusion of HIV positive blood to a patient due to a technical error at IGMH earlier this year, Rozaina opted to submit the bill without the ministry’s comments.

“We didnt receive any comment from the gender ministry, earlier they said this bill has to come with legislation concerning health professionals and with health services,” explained the Addu Meedhoo MP.

“But three years has passed waiting for their comments, so I decided to submit it – especially considering that such incidents are taking place. From the perspective of patients this cannot be delayed, and I think the government will speed up the other bills once this bill is in the Majlis,” said Rozaina.

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8 thoughts on “Doctor at Fuvahmulah Hospital refuses to deliver stillborn baby”

  1. When MoH, the ministry responsible for ensuring adequate provision and availability of health care in the Maldives, is investigate it's own failure, what would be the outcome? Would they come out and say what facilities were not available and why? No doctor would be willing to operate without the necessary facilities, so let's hear MoH explain why these basic facilities were not there, and why didn't the hospital tell the patient that they don't have the facilities to operate or to deliver a baby, and therefore the patient is better off going to another hospital? Who is going to investigate the constant carelessness and negligence of MoH?

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  2. All fault lies on MDP, Nasheed and GMR. If Gayoom hadn't lost power for three years, this country would be in tip top shape right now. It's going to take another 30 years for Gayoom to get the country back in the modern, economically developed state it was back in 2008.

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  3. Gynaecologists are not surgeons, so it's quite right that the doctor refused. Otherwise she would have been held responsible for any consequences.

    Undertaking an operation on a pregnant woman involves the lives of two people. This is not just paracetamol prescription. Seems to me that the Male bridge project is more important than the lives of people.

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  4. This is legal matter. A Gynecologist is entitled by law to perform a C-section without a Surgeon or Paedetrician. And by the oath he/she has taken as a Doctor, he/she should help the patient to the best of his/her knowledge.

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  5. A gynecologist who is experienced would not let such an incident to happen. As far as i know Dr. C.P. Rai the gynecologist from Addu is very very much experienced. But how long will this be going on...A surgeon

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  6. A surgeon is not needed to a C- Section. But an anesthetist should be there.

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  7. Dear Maldives,
    Please dont expect gynecologists to work there for the paltry sum of 3300 dollars, revise the salary and se the diffrence....

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  8. Dr Mariam Shskeela ,Minister of Health
    i'M Dr.Waguih Elsayed , Egyptian , Consultant Obstetrics Gynecology,it's my honor to be appointed in A A Atoll under your supervision, I'm still in Egypt , when I informed Mr Vishama by my arrival 1 JUN 014 7:40 am and the fly booking to arrange someone to be on my arrival to facilitate administrative procedures I got his unexpected , unfortunate,disappointing reply

    ( Dear Dr. Waguih,

    Thank you for the ticket. We are sorry to inform it will be difficult for us to send someone to airport at that hour as it is the month of Ramazan. But if you need any help please inform us and we have already send you travel documents please follow the travel documents. If you want we can make the hotel reservation.

    With regards,
    Vishama
    Foreign Recruitment Section
    Health Service Division
    Ministry of Health and Gender
    Ground Floor,H.Roashanee Building,Sosun Magu, Male' 20184
    t: +960 3014336, | +9603014343| f:+960 3014344
    e. [email protected]| w. www.health.gov.mv)

    PLEASE HOW COME
    STRANGER , FOREIGNER, 1ST TIME VISIT YOUR GENEROUS COUNTRY
    SO PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE
    GIVE ME GENEROUS IMPRESSION ABOUT MALDIVES
    ARRANGE WHO IS IN CHARGE ON MY ARRIVAL,
    I'LL ARRIVE - IN SHAA ALLAH - 1ST JUN 014 7:40 AM
    I CAN TOLERATE HOURS IN MALE AIRPORT WAITING HIM TILL HIS COMING
    Thank you for your cooperation
    DR WAGUIH OBS/GYN Consultant

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