Update: Both mother and baby in the latest reported case improve and come off life support.

Both baby and mother who were in critical conditions in intensive care at IGMH have improved and come off life support.

The baby's condition is reported as "stable with no evidence of asphyxia or brain injury" and although still being managed in the newborn ICU is reported to be making a full recovery. This comes as a relief for both parents and doctors. We can confirm that the baby was on artificial respirator for about 24 hours when 2 days ago baby was "weaned" off the machine. The initial communication that parents received from the doctor who was in charge of the case at that stage, Dr Vikas Bopache, was that baby has severe asphyxia (a condition in which the brain suffers damage from lack of oxygen) and that there was a strong likelihood of baby developing fits. This fear has now been removed by the new team of doctors looking after the baby; who say that there are no signs to suggest such a possibility.

The father was visibly relieved when our source saw him in the Obstetric ward. He was telling the people around him that he was happy at the progress and very publicly praised the doctors for their efforts.

In more good news for the father, the child's mother has also improved in leaps and bounds since her admission to ICU after delivery. Apparently, doctors from the internal medicine department got involved in the case on the request of a family doctor, Dr Zumra. It is believed that, with their experience in handling cases corrupted by other departments, they were able to get the patient to safe territory. The last update we got was that the mother had come off mechanical respirator, was shifted out of ICU, did not require to have the uterus removed (bleeding did get controlled finally) and was in a special private room at the expense of the hospital.

The case was reportedly reviewed by the hospital administration and some statement is expected in the coming few day. We believe that IGMH will not make a public statement but expect the family to be briefed about their findings.

Blood transfusion stand-off:

Rumors have been circulated around the hospital that the father had refused transfusion of any blood other that his own to his wife when she was in a critical condition. This rumor is false. We can confirm that the issue of blood transfusion arose well before the patient was taken for C section. Apparently the hospital has a new donor policy (that is reportedly in accordance with international red cross's own donor policy) that blood will be collected from donors and then cross-match done. The father was asked to get a donor while the patient was in the ward for "monitoring". He had himself volunteered. At the blood bank he was asked to donate the blood first and told that cross-matching would be done after the full blood pint was collected. This father did not want to have a pint of blood removed from him IF it was not going to be used for his wife. This was where the misunderstanding started.

Because of his religious beliefs, he is a devout muslim, "who takes pride in looking like a true muslim", he didn't want blood of someone whose character and health was unknown to himself to become the donor. He was counselled on this issue by doctors and his views on the issue changed. MMW supports non-renumerated blood donation and wold take this opportunity to call on the blood bank to inform the public on the benefits of this system of donation.

The father had not refused transfusion as a life saving treatment for his wife.

We wish the family a speedy recovery. We hope that the father and family is given support in overcoming this intensely traumatic experience.


Note: MMW does write on issues and events that are happening outside of IGMH. Check our archives for them. We will however not wander away from an event like this where interest of the patient were given secondary importance. If any reader feels that we have presented a false case, feel free to have your say! We are witness to many sad stories that have happened in our health system and would like to make it very clear that we will report these kinds of events; not to destroy IGMH or the health system but to let them know that these events will not go unheard. We too want to see a reliable and trustworthy health system and hospitals, but we have remained calm and waited for the administrative bodies to do the right thing for far too long. We shall not stay quiet as we did before. We shall pressure the authorities to bring good change. For all our sake!