Tags:
Journalism of Courage
As the inquest into Indian dentist Savita Halappanavar8217;s death entered its fifth day in an Irish courtroom today,her stressed husband excused himself from attending the hearing.
8220;It8217;s been a stressful week for him today and he8217;s asked to be excused. We will explain that to the coroner. So he won8217;t be here today. He8217;ll be here again on Wednesday,8221; his
solicitor Gerard O8217;Donnell said at the Galway Courthouse
today.
Praveen Halappanavar has been a constant witness to testimonies from staff and doctors of University Hospital
Galway,where his 17-week pregnant wife died following a
miscarriage last October.
8220;While he8217;s very composed at all times in the court,it is very,very stressful for him to hear all the details. He8217;s taking the view that he8217;s looking for the truth,8221; added O8217;Connell.
Halappanavar8217;s senior counsel,Eugene Gleeson,told coroner Ciaran McLoughlin that his client was not showing the
court any disrespect but was 8220;overwrought8221;.Dr McLoughlin said he understood.
Earlier,the coroner heard about a three-hour delay in
transferring the blood samples of 31-year-old Savita to the
laboratory for analysis had no impact on the course of her
infection.
Irish media reports,however,highlighted that Dr McLoughlin described the delay as 8220;another risk factor8221;. The samples showed that Savita was infected with an E.Coli ESBL extended spectrum beta lactamase,which is particularly difficult to treat with antibiotics.
Dr Keady said it was very uncommon for maternity patients to suffer ESBL infections and stressed that Savita was on the appropriate antibiotics and subsequent tests showed that they were effective in clearing all bacteria from her system.
The inquest also heard from ICU staff nurse Jacinta Gately as she gave evidence yesterday of having been with Savita throughout her final hours on the night of October 27 and the morning of October 28,2012,when she was declared
dead.
8220;Within minutes of commencing CPR Cardiopulmonary
resuscitation,I went out to find Mr Halappanavar to let him
know what was happening,that his wife8217;s heart had stopped and that we had started CPR,8221; she recalled.
Savita8217;s 34-year-old engineer husband has accepted an
apology from another member of hospital staff,midwife Ann Maria Burke,who admitted making a comment about denying Savita a termination as Ireland was a 8220;Catholic country8221;.
