A woman whose joy of motherhood was cut short during labour by what she termed as ‘medical negligence’, is on the mission to seek justice for her lost baby
The victim, Mavis Aklamanu, has filed a lawsuit against the Airport Women’s Hospital, seeking a compensation to the tune of GH₵5,000,000 and many others.
This was after Mavis, who was due for childbirth, lost her baby under strange circumstances after a prolonged labour and rescheduling of a planned caesarean section, causing anguish and pain in what was supposed to be a joyous moment.
Narrating her bitter encounter, Mavis said she first opted for a natural birth procedure but was later prepped for Caesarian session.
As though that wasn’t enough, Mavis, after agreeing to the CS, was left unattended to, until 5am the next day, a situation that cause her severe contractions and complications.
After failed attempts to draw the attention of the nurses and doctors all through the night, when she saw the discharge of fluids from her private parts, it was finally discovered in the morning that Mavis had lost the baby.
The caesarian session was performed after a long wait but the baby never survived.
“The first day I went there and met with the receptionist, the first question she asked me was if I wanted normal delivery or CS. I said normal delivery because obviously it was my first child so why will I go for CS when there is nothing wrong with me.
“They came to shave the area where they will be cutting and left. I waited for like two hours and nobody came to say anything. A doctor came and I asked him what’s happening? I told him I have been shaved so what is happening? He asked me if I wanted the CS today. I told him they said my situation is an emergency so why don’t they carry out the procedure today. Was I supposed to wait? I don’t understand. A nurse came to tell me that the doctor said they won’t be carrying out the procedure today so I should get something and eat.
“I realized there was something watery coming out of me, green in colour. There was a bell in the ward I could press, when I pressed it, nobody came till 5am at dawn. The nurse came and I told her about what happened. When I took off everything and she saw it, she screamed. She said my water has broken and the baby’s poop has mixed with it. I asked her what will happen now and she assured me that everything is fine. It never occurred to me that my baby was dead. At that time, I didn’t know,” she painfully narrated during an interview with TV3.
Mary also recalled the doctor’s interesting ‘consolation message’ while she laid in a grieving state on the hospital bed.
“In the morning, the doctor and the team came in to break the news to me. All he was saying was that CS wasn’t a bad procedure. He said his mother had nine children and all of them were from CS. He said giving birth naturally will enlarge my vagina and my husband wouldn’t be able to enjoy me again. I asked why he was telling me all these things instead of consoling me and then he said, don’t be foolish. My husband then held me,” she asserted.
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However, in a copy of the writ of summons spotted by GhanaWeb, Mary is seeking GH₵5,000,000 as compensation, general damages for the pain and trauma caused, among others.
“The hospital has been very unprofessional in the discharge of their duties and as a result of this we lost our child. So, all I want is justice for my child. We want justice,” she retorted.
Meanwhile, the hospital’s management has refused to discuss the specifics of the incident.
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