The family of a newborn baby, who remains hospitalized in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in Cartagena, went to the EPS headquarters this Monday to demand speed in the medical transfer process that, according to them, has been waiting for several days.
The parents of the minor settled at the headquarters of Cajacopi EPS, which currently operates as Proteger EPS SAS, to request urgent care for their daughter, who was born 32 weeks premature and is at the ESE Maternidad Rafael Calvo, in the Antwerp neighborhood.
As a sign of protest, the baby’s father tied himself with chains to the EPS headquarters located in the Santa Lucía sector.
Mother reports pregnancy complications and baby’s condition
The minor’s mother, Karoll Bermúdez, explained to The Universal that her pregnancy presented complications that forced an emergency cesarean section. Lea: Ombudsman’s Office reports increase in health complaints in Cartagena
“I had a membrane rupture, they had to do an emergency cesarean section because I got preeclampsia, my blood pressure was 200, they had to extricate me, the girl was born premature at 32 weeks and 6 days, she is in the ICU at the Rafael Calvo Maternity Hospital with a respiratory infection.”
He indicated that initially the baby was connected to an oxygen cannula, which she currently no longer uses, but now she has abdominal distension.
“At the maternity hospital they are demanding or asking me for a consultation with a pediatric surgeon or that they refer her to a clinic where the service she needs is available,” said the mother, highlighting that since last Thursday they have been waiting for the EPS to respond for the medical service.
“They tell us that they are going to send us to Bucaramanga, then when they have everything ready that there is no bed, that there is an emergency. I understand all that, but I need them to resolve the issue of my daughter because she has had abdominal distension twice now,” he insisted.
Bermúdez added that last Friday they were informed that the minor would be transferred to Barranquilla, so they were waiting for an ambulance that, he claims, never arrived. You may be interested in: These are the health centers with dengue vaccines in Cartagena
Premature baby would be transferred to a clinic in Barranquilla
After 9 in the morning, this media learned through a phone call with Bermúdez that the EPS had authorized the transfer of the girl, so they asked him to urgently go to the Rafael Calvo Maternity Hospital.
“When I arrived here, the maternity hospital was not even aware that the girl had been accepted at the Portoazul Clinic in Barranquilla. I was aware yesterday that they called us at 1 in the morning that the girl had been accepted at the Valledupar clinic, when we refused at that time at that time that we could not transfer, that we did not accept the transfer because that was too far away with a girl who began with respiratory failure, difficulties, so exposing her to so many hours of travel was not the right thing to do,” he explained.
At this time, the relatives are still waiting for a medical ambulance to be authorized that has the necessary equipment to transport the baby, such as an incubator, oxygen and specialized medical personnel.
“We can’t take it anymore because the girl really hasn’t eaten for 3 days, they are giving her parenteral nutrition via vein, the girl is losing weight. That’s where the problem is and our concern is knowing why she is responding that way,” the mother added.
The Universal contacted Proteger EPS, from where they clarified that the patient has not been denied service and that the process of her transfer is being advanced. The entity is expected to expand the information through an official statement in the coming hours.
