Woman delivers baby in dirty hospital bathroom after left unattended

An 18-year-old woman who recently gave birth to her first child will never again want to endure the horrific circumstances she experienced on this occasion. The woman’s relatives contacted Kaieteur News and related a sickening tale which she recounted whilst being a patient at the New Amsterdam Hospital.

The mother and baby in hospital

The woman, Michelle Ramphal, a housewife of Bush Lot, West Coast Berbice, delivered her baby in the bathroom, even as the nurses who were assigned to work had left their post and wandered off.
According to the woman’s husband, Kishan Goolab, a fisherman, his wife usually attended clinic at Bush Lot, West Coast Berbice. He said that after attending clinic on Thursday last his wife was referred to the New Amsterdam hospital after she was told that there was no pulse for the baby. They arrived at the Hospital around 17:00 hrs and were told that Ramphal would have to be kept for observation and an ultrasound which would be performed the next day.
The husband said the ultrasound showed that the baby was alright, but his wife was kept for more tests and further observation.  He said that about 14:00 hrs on Monday his wife started to experience severe pain and was told that she was “making too much noise”. She was eventually taken out of the ward and placed in a separate room. The man, who was accompanied by his mother, claimed that his wife was told to shut up and if she continued to make so much noise she would be “locked away” in the room.  The man said he was sent outside, but could hear his wife groaning in pain.
His wife eventually returned to the ward in severe pain. He said that the family attempted to assist her, but were told to leave her.
“A nurse on duty ask we if we ever make baby; if we don’t know that you have to feel pains. The nurse then left the ward with the pregnant mothers inside.”
The man said his wife was feeling uncomfortable and was advised to take a bath by the other patients. He said that she was assisted by the other pregnant mothers. She first went to the toilet and then was being helped to the bathroom around 15:45 hrs when it was noticed that  she had started to give birth to the baby right in the dirty bathroom.  The other patients and his wife started to scream and a nurse from another ward heard the screams and ran to the area where they were.
The nurse was just in time to grab a towel and placed it under the woman to catch the baby. Nurses from another ward also came to help. All the time the nurses from the Maternity Ward were still absent. A doctor was summoned and with the help of the nurses from the other wards, the woman was taken for further treatment.
The woman and the baby were kept in hospital for observation and were expected to be discharged yesterday afternoon.
The man said that he wanted to report the matter, but was advised that he will have to make an appointment. He then decided against it and instead contacted the media to “let the world know what is happening here”.  “We would not want anyone else to go through such an experience.”
The couple is still willing to report the matter to the relevant authorities so that a thorough investigation could be done.