Malé, Maldives – Ministry of Health probes into the alleged negligent death of a 3 month old baby boy at Dr Abdul Samad Hospital located in GDh. Thinadhoo.
Health Ministry is investigating the events leading to the death of the child and has since suspended one doctor in relation to the death.
The baby’s father in a social media post shared the events of the day.
- 04:00 – The family calls for an ambulance due to the baby having loose motion. Hospital states that they are dispatching an ambulance.
- 04:05 – No ambulance arrives; baby’s father calls the hospital to inform that they are walking to the hospital since it is in walking distance. Hospital asks the family to stay at home since they are a Covid-19 positive family. Father informs that it has been 16 days since the Covid-19 positive result. However, hospital informs to wait for an ambulance to go to the Covid-19 facility.
A doctor will not attend even if the baby is brought to the [Dr. Abdul Samad Hospital] … Pediatrician will start duty at 8.
- 06:15 – Ambulance arrives at the house. Baby was left unattended for 1.5 hrs. Nurses repeatedly call for doctors with no response.
- 07:40 – Baby goes motionless.
- 07:43 – Doctor’s team attends to baby.
- 10:00 – Health Protection Agency (HPA) informs family that they are released from quarantine and that the baby did not die of Covid-19.
In August 2021, a Covid-19 positive 10yr old girl passed away at the ER after the ambulance reached the girls home more than 2 hours 25 minutes since the family had called for assistance.
