THE Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) has issued a response to the Kaieteur News article of Thursday, November 29, 2012, headlined: “Maternal complications, two mothers experience ‘horror’ at GPHC.”

The GPHC said the patient, Olinda Fredericks, had been transferred from the West Demerara Clinic with a history of post-maturity and severe pre-eclampsia.
“Ms. Fredericks delivered a live baby girl by vaginal birth. The infant appeared to be in distress, and resuscitative measures were immediately engaged by the doctors and nurses on duty, but all efforts failed,” the GPHC said.
“Nevertheless, the GPHC is in process of investigating circumstances surrounding Ms. Fredericks’s transfer and the death of the infant, as is the standard protocol for any maternal or neo-natal death. The hospital also expresses its condolences to the family on their painful loss,” the GPHC statement said.
And the hospital added that: “Ms. Andrea Cort, aged 24 years, was admitted to the GPHC on November 3, at 02:00 hrs, complaining of lower abdominal pains. An examination confirmed that Ms. Cort was in early labour, and over time, the patient was observed to be bearing down at every contraction, and was advised against this. Ms Cort was eventually placed in a wheel chair to be taken to the delivery room, but she proceeded to lie on the floor and deliver a live baby boy.
“Both mother and baby were discharged on November 25, 2012, in healthy condition,” the GPHC statement said.