Spanish source: http://www.montevideo.com.uy/notnoticias_195721_1.html
A 35 year old woman died in the delivery room of the Hospital of Paso de los Toros, Tacuarembó, due to placental abruption. In the health center there was not an anesthesiologist or a surgeon who could deal with the emergency. Her baby was born and is out of danger.
The hospital did not have at that time an anesthetist or surgeon, and decided no to leave to the nearest hospital, (which is 40 kilometers away) because there was no time and was at risk the baby's life.
Hospital Director of Paso de los Toros, Alfredo Fraga, told that the child was born alive but the mother died shortly after.
"If the hospital had all professionals working in the health center, women probably would have survived," said Fraga.
In Paso de los Toros's hospital there two gynecologists, two surgeons and two anesthetists, but one of the last had an accident, so the remaining in office had to work 24 days in a row. The day he took off, the unfortunate episode occurred.
"I can not have one person for 30 days, 24 hours a day working," Fraga said on the radio to the local station 100.1 FM.
Amidst this scenario, Paso de los Toros anesthesiologist will have all week of Tourism free, because of his working license, so all cases requiring surgery will be referred to the nearest Hospital.
"No one is coming to Paso de los Toros to make a guard for less than $ 2,000 per day (100 american dollar), ASSE pay $ 79 ($4 amercan dollar) a hour to a specialist, either anesthesiologist, gynecologist or pediatrician, and with that remuneration no one is going anywhere, "said with concern the hospital director.
