Mother had four operations when she had her baby

A pregnant mother Ae nded up undergoing four operations when she went to the hospital to have her baby, and during part of that time her womb had apparently “remained open”.

This explanation was given by the woman’s husband, Vaofusi Aigaga, 49, of Lefaga who said: “My wife actually had four operations, and up to a certain time her womb was still open.”

Mr Aigaga said at that time he went to the Minister of Health, Dr Tuitama Leao Talalelei Tuitama, for help, and asked that his wife be taken to New Zealand for a proper checkup.

He said: “It was in the last three weeks that I went to the minister and lodged a letter but his secretary told me he was attending a meeting.”

Mr Aigaga said he questioned the need for his wife to undergo several operations when she was giving birth to their daughter at the Tupua Tamasese Meaole Hospital at Moto’otua.

“My wife gave birth to our new born daughter on 8 January and during that time she has had four operations in her stomach."

“We were told by doctors three days after our daughter’s birth that my wife needed to have an operation because there was a bacterial infection in her stomach."

“I was very confused and sad but still I signed the paper to show I approved of the operation.”

He was shocked therefore when it turned out that this was just the first of several operations to have been conducted on his wife.

“My wife actually had four operations,” he said, “and up to that time her womb was still open.”

This time, Mr Aigaga went to the Minister of Health, Dr Tuitama Leao Talalelei Tuitama, to seek help. He asked that his wife be taken for to New Zealand. “It was in the last three weeks that I went to the minister and lodged a letter but his secretary told me that he was attending a meeting.”

He said: “I believed this was the only way to help my wife at the time. I’m still waiting for a response from the minister.” Mr Aigaga if the doctors who carried out the first operation on his wife had done their job properly, his wife would not have had to go through other operations afterwards."

“I’m very saddened at the service; it’s seems like they’re a playing with people’s life.”

However the Minister of Health, Dr Tuitama Leao Talalelei Tuitama said that he had received the letter on the same date that the letter was lodged at his office. That was 22 January 2015.”

“On the same date that I received the letter, I wrote to Dr Matalavea because he is the C.E.O. of Clinical Services. “Instead of answering back at the same time, I sought opinions and reports from doctors to see what the patient’s condition was, and if it was necessary to take her overseas. “I couldn’t answer the letter straight away without understanding the patient’s situation."

“I gave him (Dr Matalavea) a note on that same date (22nd January) saying that I needed an urgent response.” Dr Tuitama said he received a response from Dr. Matalavea on 28 January.

“The report says this was an unusual situation but I believed correct processes had been done to manage her complications.”

Dr Matalavea said: “Somehow, the womb had been infected and the doctors decided to clean her womb to clear it. It was the 13th of January that the womb was left open to clean and clear the infection, and it was stitched back together last Thursday."

“I called back to confirm the woman’s situation and she’s recovered and is happy now.”

As to Mr Aigaga’s complaint about the poor service, he said “if that is what he said and confirmed then I know it was ‘carelessness’.”

He said: “The infection was also caused by carelessness.” Dr Tuitama said he called Mr Aigaga when he received the response from the Dr Matalavea but he did not turn up. “I gave a note to my secretary that I needed to meet the relative to explain the situation to him,” Dr Tuitama explained.

He said: “The secretary contacted him but he said he was not available because he lived far away.”