By Pauline ETIENNE

Ayoung woman died in hospital just after giving birth to her child. Such tragedies unfortunately happen, as unfair as they may appear. A family is now desperate, a husband is left alone with a baby. The situation is already extremely hard but the obscure circumstances of this young woman?s death could add even more to the family?s distress.

6.30 pm, Wednesday. Nazima is in hospital and looks well according to her husband and mother-in-law who have come to visit her.

1 am, Thursday. Nazima?s mother-in-law calls the hospital for fresh news. This call comes just at the right time; she has just given birth to a baby girl and everything seems fine. The whole family is in seventh heaven?

But tragedy is on the horizon. A few minutes later, Nazima?s mother-in-law calls again ? by chance - and the nurse suddenly changes the tone of her voice. ?You must come immediately to hospital.? Even though they cannot even imagine that the worst has happened, they at once drive to the hospital where they are told: ?Nothing could be done, as Nazima?s heart beat was too slow.?

So, the family which now suspects a case of medical negligence has asked for an autopsy and made a statement to the police. The enquiry is on. There may have been negligence just as there may not have been anything but unforeseeable complications that led to Nazima?s death. One of the doctors involved has already resigned from his post. But only the enquiry will reveal who/what is responsible for the young mother?s death.

But this story shows one thing: people do not trust hospitals and hospital staff. The reason is simple. It is not because they have doubts about the quality of the medical staff in hospitals. The problem may actually lie in the lack of transparency concerning the treatment given there and the lack of communication between doctors and patients and the latter?s families.

If someone has a problem, and is writhing in pain, s(he) will just go to hospital to have quick treatment. Just try asking this person what (s)he was prescribed. The chances are that (s)he will not be able to answer. Now, just ask him (her) what (s)he is suffering from. The chances are again high that (s)he just does not know because (s)he was simply not told and may have be too shy to ask and insist.

Doctors are there to give treatment and cure people?s diseases whenever possible. But they are also supposed to reassure the patients (again when possible) or at least explain to them what they have and what can be done to relieve their problem. Of course, patients do not have the same aptitudes as doctors ? this is what doctors are made for ? and would not understand pure medical jargon. But one aptitude a doctor is supposed to have is to be able to explain to patients in simple words what they are suffering from. In some cases, this duty might not be fulfilled.

With this in mind, the thousand and one allegations of medical negligence that can be read about in the press are not astonishing at all. The lack of transparency only leads people to doubt everything. If there was more communication, maybe the patients?s family would be less suspicious over every single flaw that could happen during a stay in hospital.

Many of these allegations finally turn out to be genuine cases of complications. I do not know what happened to Nazima. But a simple phone call to the family to keep them informed of the situation would have prevented them from being presented with a fait accompli? and might even have prevented them from going to the police.