Thirty – four – year old Sumarie Balwant has filed a $20M lawsuit against the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC) following a stillbirth delivery at the Maternity Ward between November 16 – 18, 2016.

According to the writ seen by the Guyana Chronicle, the mother of Lot 640 Good Hope, Phase 1, East Coast Demerara, is suing the hospital for damages in excess of $10M for negligence as a result of acts/omissions, which contributed to the still birth delivery.

The woman is also suing for another $10M for personal injuries, pain and suffering she endured. She is being represented by Attorney Anil Nandlall.

The Guyana Chronicle had reported that preliminary investigation into the death of the baby indicates that Balwant had experienced a ‘velamentous cord insertion’, which is an abnormal condition during pregnancy.

Normally, the umbilical cord inserts into the middle of the placenta as it develops; however velamentous cord insertion occurs when the umbilical cord inserts into the fetal membranes, then travels within the membranes to the placenta.

Minister of Public Health, Dr George Norton had explained that “This condition is considered as a congenital malformation and as the mother goes into labour the cord becomes detached from the placenta causing the baby to die before birth is completed from lack of blood.”