Thursday December 16, 2010
Protest over death of mum during labour
SARBAN SINGH
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SEREMBAN: A group of people gathered outside a private specialist hospital here to voice their unhappiness over the death of a woman and her unborn son on Dec 6. The group, led by Seremban Umno division head Datuk Ishak Ismail, alleged that the staff did not follow procedures and the hospital was ill-equipped in proper medical facilities.
Ishak said it was unusual for the 40-year-old woman, Norliza Shariff, who was a mother of four children, all delivered naturally, could die in this case. “I will raise the matter with the Health Ministry,” he said. Norliza’s husband Khairul Anwar Abdul Halim had lodged a police report over her death on Dec 8.
He claimed that his wife and unborn son died as a result of the doctor and nurse’s negligence. The businessman claimed that he had taken his wife to the hospital at about 8.30am on Dec 6, when she showed signs of labour. He had repeatedly requested for the doctor to perform a Caesarian section due to her age.
However, he claimed that the doctor had refused to do this. His wife was also put on an oxygen mask for two hours to ease her labour pains. However, at about 5pm, Norliza started to vomit and told her husband that she was not feeling good. Both mother and unborn son died at 6.35pm.
At the hospital yesterday, Khairul Anwar said his wife was bleeding from the ears, mouth, nostrils and eyes when her body was brought out from the room. He said he had also not been able to register his wife’s death with the National Registration Department as the hospital had not certified her burial/death certificate.
Khairul also disputed the hospital’s contention that “amniotic fluid embolism” (AFE) was the cause of Norliza’s death. (AFE is a rare obstetric emergency where amniotic fluid, fetal cells, hair, or other debris enters the maternal circulation which could cause cardiorespiratory collapse).
A representative from the hospital said they have begun a probe into the matter. “We are not able to say anything now,” he said. “Investigations are underway and we would notify the family of any developments as soon as we can.”
