Teen Dies after Cotched Abortion at Private Clinic
DECEMBER 31, 2011 | BY KNEWS | FILED UNDER NEWS
An 18-year-old girl is dead after being subjected to what appears to be a botched abortion conducted at a doctor’s
private clinic on the East Coast of Demerara.
Karen Devi Bahdal, a mother of two, and of Vigilance, East Coast Demerara, died in the Georgetown Public Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit yesterday, despite undergoing surgery there to repair a perforated uterus and damaged bowels. The injuries were reportedly sustained during the abortion.
Sources have confirmed that the physician who performed the abortion on Bahdal holds a prominent post at a private hospital, besides running his East Coast clinic.
According to the teen’s husband, Vishal Surujpaul, Bahdal was four months pregnant and she was continuously asking to have an abortion, since she already had two children; a two-year-old and a four-month-old.
According to him, his reputed wife was also trying to hide her pregnancy from her immediate relatives.
Surujpaul said he tried to persuade his reputed wife to use the money to buy clothes for the baby, rather than have the abortion.
“I didn’t want to give her money, but I eventually did and left for work, when I come home in the afternoon (on December 23) I see she vomiting and she told me that she went and did the abortion, so I ask her why she did it when I tell her not to.”
He said that after the termination, Bhadal began vomiting continuously while complaining of abdominal pains. He then took her to the GPHC on December 24, where she was immediately admitted.
On Boxing Day, relatives received a call from a doctor from the GPHC, who requested that Bhadal’s husband and one of her relatives meet with him at the hospital.
Hardai Ramroop, an aunt of the teen, said the doctor told them that Bhadal had to undergo emergency surgery to remove her womb.
“She went on the surgery on Monday (December 26) and the doctor told us that her intestine was bore and her womb was also bore so they mend it.”
This publication understands that since the teen came out of the theatre on Monday last, she never regained consciousness and died yesterday at 8:00am.
Yesterday, Kaieteur News managed to contact the doctor who performed the abortion. However, the physician nervously denied performing the termination, and denied having a clinic in the east Coast Demerara village where the procedure was done.
According to other sources, following the abortion, Karen Bhadal was admitted to the GPHC after complaining of abdominal pains. She was given an ultrasound. After this, doctors at the hospital observed that the patient’s abdomen was still swollen. She also had a fever and was vomiting.
She underwent a second ultrasound and this time it was observed that there was fluid in her stomach. Bhadal was then taken to the hospital’s operating theatre. Medical staff then observed that both the teen’s uterus and bowel were perforated, and had her undergo surgery to repair the damage. But according to sources, by then, ‘stuff’ from her bowels had already leaked into her stomach, and peritonitis (the presence of bacteria in the stomach) had developed.
The teen’s condition worsened and she was taken to the Intensive Care Unit and placed on a ventilator. According to sources, everything was done to save Bhadal’s life, but to no avail.
“They washed out her belly and put her on antibiotics, but once the problem started it is difficult to reverse.”
Bhadal never regained consciousness and eventually succumbed at around 08:00 hrs yesterday.
An autopsy is likely to be performed on Wednesday.
Kaieteur News understands that the physician who performed the abortion had once worked at the GPHC in the gynecology department, but is not a specialist in the field.
A source said that the Ministry of health has a list of physicians who are approved to terminate pregnancies.
Source
DECEMBER 31, 2011 | BY KNEWS | FILED UNDER NEWS
An 18-year-old girl is dead after being subjected to what appears to be a botched abortion conducted at a doctor’s
private clinic on the East Coast of Demerara.
Karen Devi Bahdal, a mother of two, and of Vigilance, East Coast Demerara, died in the Georgetown Public Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit yesterday, despite undergoing surgery there to repair a perforated uterus and damaged bowels. The injuries were reportedly sustained during the abortion.
Sources have confirmed that the physician who performed the abortion on Bahdal holds a prominent post at a private hospital, besides running his East Coast clinic.
According to the teen’s husband, Vishal Surujpaul, Bahdal was four months pregnant and she was continuously asking to have an abortion, since she already had two children; a two-year-old and a four-month-old.
According to him, his reputed wife was also trying to hide her pregnancy from her immediate relatives.
Surujpaul said he tried to persuade his reputed wife to use the money to buy clothes for the baby, rather than have the abortion.
“I didn’t want to give her money, but I eventually did and left for work, when I come home in the afternoon (on December 23) I see she vomiting and she told me that she went and did the abortion, so I ask her why she did it when I tell her not to.”
He said that after the termination, Bhadal began vomiting continuously while complaining of abdominal pains. He then took her to the GPHC on December 24, where she was immediately admitted.
On Boxing Day, relatives received a call from a doctor from the GPHC, who requested that Bhadal’s husband and one of her relatives meet with him at the hospital.
Hardai Ramroop, an aunt of the teen, said the doctor told them that Bhadal had to undergo emergency surgery to remove her womb.
“She went on the surgery on Monday (December 26) and the doctor told us that her intestine was bore and her womb was also bore so they mend it.”
This publication understands that since the teen came out of the theatre on Monday last, she never regained consciousness and died yesterday at 8:00am.
Yesterday, Kaieteur News managed to contact the doctor who performed the abortion. However, the physician nervously denied performing the termination, and denied having a clinic in the east Coast Demerara village where the procedure was done.
According to other sources, following the abortion, Karen Bhadal was admitted to the GPHC after complaining of abdominal pains. She was given an ultrasound. After this, doctors at the hospital observed that the patient’s abdomen was still swollen. She also had a fever and was vomiting.
She underwent a second ultrasound and this time it was observed that there was fluid in her stomach. Bhadal was then taken to the hospital’s operating theatre. Medical staff then observed that both the teen’s uterus and bowel were perforated, and had her undergo surgery to repair the damage. But according to sources, by then, ‘stuff’ from her bowels had already leaked into her stomach, and peritonitis (the presence of bacteria in the stomach) had developed.
The teen’s condition worsened and she was taken to the Intensive Care Unit and placed on a ventilator. According to sources, everything was done to save Bhadal’s life, but to no avail.
“They washed out her belly and put her on antibiotics, but once the problem started it is difficult to reverse.”
Bhadal never regained consciousness and eventually succumbed at around 08:00 hrs yesterday.
An autopsy is likely to be performed on Wednesday.
Kaieteur News understands that the physician who performed the abortion had once worked at the GPHC in the gynecology department, but is not a specialist in the field.
A source said that the Ministry of health has a list of physicians who are approved to terminate pregnancies.
Source
