A change in wording has led to a delay in distribution of suspension letters to the five doctors and four nurses involved in the Caesarean section leading to the death of Crystal Boodoo-Ramsoomair.So said South West Regional Health Authority chief executive officer Paula Chester-Cumberbatch who was responding to concerns that up to lunchtime yesterday, the doctors were not given letters of suspension.Boodoo-Ramsoomair bled to death at San Fernando General Hospital on March 4, after giving birth to a baby girl.Health Minister Therese Baptiste-Cornelis, at a press briefing on Monday, announced the suspension of the workers.In a press release yesterday, the Medical Practitioners Association of T&T (MPATT) said the doctors went to the Medical Chief of Staff's office yesterday morning and no letters of suspension were available."We expect that honesty should always prevail, and that the public be accurately informed by all those in authority and in professions," the release stated.
In telephone interview, Chester-Cumberbatch said the Human Resource department was in the process of delivering the letters yesterday.She said hospital staff met with her yesterday, saying they were standing in solidarity with their colleagues."My staff of the San Fernando General Hospital knows the only way they can do this is acting as professionals," she said.She said the Gynaecology Department would now be operating with a staff of three as was done sometime ago, adding that the situation was just temporary to facilitate the investigation."My staff has given me the assurance that their number one priority is to the people of T&T-the patients," Chester-Cumberbatch said.Relatives of Boodoo-Ramsoomair are claiming that two arteries were cut during the Caesarean section, causing her to bleed to death. However, baby Danielle, her third child, was healthy and doing well.
