An inquest hearing into the death of a Nigerian following treatment at the Rotunda Hospital in March 2010 has adjourned until July with a view to ensuring testimony from key witnesses. Up to 20 members of the African community were in attendance at the Dublin District Coroner’s Court on 18 April to hear the opening of the inquest into the death of 32-year-old Bimbo Onanuga, who had attended the Rotunda following a foetal death over seven months into pregnancy.
An inquest hearing into the death of a Nigerian following treatment at the Rotunda Hospital in March 2010 has adjourned until July with a view to ensuring testimony from key witnesses.
Up to 20 members of the African community were in attendance at the Dublin District Coroner’s Court on 18 April to hear the opening of the inquest into the death of 32-year-old Bimbo Onanuga, who had attended the Rotunda following a foetal death over seven months into pregnancy.
A retired Rotunda midwife, who could not attend the hearing on health grounds, and a doctor now based in Australia will be sought as witnesses for when the inquest resumes, following pressure from Onanuga’s legal team.
It is hoped that Onanuga’s partner at the time of her death, UK-based Abiola Adesina, will also be attendance. His passport is currently with the British Home Office for the purposes of residency renewal.
The need for testimony from a healthcare assistant who was also present during Onanuga’s treatment was additionally raised by Ciaran Craven BL, representing Onanuga’s family.
The Coroner said he had been informed by the Rotunda that the healthcare assistant had no involvement in clinical care, but Craven argued that this person was “an important witness as to fact”.
The inquest heard from Dr Henry Frizelle, consultant in intensive care anaesthesia at the Mater Hospital, who said Onanuga was deeply unconscious and unresponsive upon transfer from the Rotunda on 4 March 2010.
She had had a cardiac arrest and lost five litres of blood at the Rotunda. She passed away that night despite the best efforts of medics at the Mater’s intensive care unit.
There was also testimony from Dr Siobhan Corcoran, then a junior registrar in the Rotunda and who saw Onanuga at 11.20am on the gynaecology ward on 4 March 2010. She said she reviewed Onanuga’s medical records and noted the clinical information. She prescribed pain medication and 200mcg of misoprostol (Cytotec) for vaginal administration, which she said is “standard” for medical induction of labour at this particular gestation (just over 29 weeks).
Medication ‘widely used’
Under questioning, she said misoprostol is not licensed for this purpose but is “widely used” in this manner within obstetrics.
Dr Corcoran said she had noted from Onanuga’s booking notes a previous termination of pregnancy and a forceps delivery and she had “just confirmed” this obstetrical history with the patient.
The inquest heard that there was a subsequent dose of misoprostol given to Onanuga but that this was not prescribed by Dr Corcoran as she was no longer involved in her care at that point, she explained.
Consultant pathologist Prof Conor O’Keane of the Mater, who performed the autopsy on Onanuga, said she had died following rupture of her uterus. He said that part of her uterine wall was abnormally thin and the implantation of her pregnancy had occurred at this point. She was therefore at particular risk of uterine rupture, he said.
The hearing is due to resume on 5 July.
