Dr. Edward Ssali, the proprietor of the women’s fertility Clinic in Bukoto, Kampala, has been charged before Buganda Road Court with allegedly causing the death of his patient during an operation meant to remove fibroids in her womb in 2010.
The gynecologist turned himself up at court on Tuesday following a couple of criminal summons issued to him by Chief Magistrate Sylvia Nabaggala.
Dr. Ssali together with an anesthetist at Nsambya Hospital, Christopher Kirunda and a Nairobi-based surgeon, Prof. Rafique Parker, are said to have caused the death of Mercy Ayiru. The trio allegedly failed to ensure that a tube meant to supply oxygen to her lungs was properly inserted before embarking on an operation while at Dr. Ssali’s clinic in Bukoto.
Ssali denied the offence and was granted cash bail of one million shillings while his sureties were ordered to sign a court bond of 10 million shillings.
Court also issued criminal summons against Prof. Parker who will also face a separate charge of practicing private medication without a license contrary to Medical and Dental Act. He is wanted in court by the 17th day of August.
In March this year, a 35-year-old mother died at Rubaga Hospital after medical workers at the health facility reportedly failed to control her blood pressure after an operation, leading to the death of both mother and the unborn baby.
A death certificate from the hospital later indicated that Judith Nansubuga died of severe Pre-Eclampsia Toxaemia (PET) and primary postpartum haemorrhage (PPH).
PET is a condition in which high blood pressure and fluid retention prevents normal growth of the unborn baby forcing abortion or premature birth. PPH, on the other hand, is an emergency condition characterized by excessive bleeding after normal or cesarean delivery.
