After his mother waited three days to see an obstetrician after her waters broke, the infant died of pneumonia at the age of one day, according to the coroner.
At Kent's Medway Maritime Hospital, Aayam Chongbang was born via Caesarean section on August 2, 2022, but she passed away the next day.
Coroner Catherine Wood stated at an inquest into his death that a lack of staff had a significant impact on the level of service the hospital trust could offer.
Aayam's family's attorney emphasized "missed opportunities" to observe Aayam's mother Shistree throughout labor. A comment from the hospital has been requested.
When Ms. Chongbang's waters broke at 42 weeks, she was discharged from the hospital where she worked as a clinician.
She returned the following day after spending three days in the hospital without seeing an obstetrician, according to testimony given in court.
On August 2, Ms. Chongbang experienced a fever and displayed symptoms suggestive of an infection in her infant.
The midwives believed she had been seen by an obstetrician, but a junior doctor prescribed antibiotics because there were no senior doctors available, the court was informed.
Aayam was subsequently born with breathing issues, and because his mother had tested positive for Covid, there were delays in getting him to the special car baby unit.
"There was a breakdown in team communication in a severely overburdened service," Ms. Wood claimed.
"It is obvious that a lot of these issues were caused by a staffing shortage. ”.
"Earlier delivery would have made a difference," she continued. ”.
A report on the prevention of future deaths would be sent to the health secretary, she said, adding that the Medway NHS Foundation Trust had been working to improve services.
"Today's conclusion highlights the numerous failings and missed opportunities for a doctor to review Aayam's mother during labor and failure to expedite delivery," said Jenny Waight of the law firm Thomson Snell and Passmore, which is representing the family. ".
"In this tragic case, the family has seen firsthand the devastating effects of staff shortages.
. ”
