Clarifying the case of abortion leading to death in Nghe An

On the afternoon of March 19, 2018, information from the Nghe An Department of Health said: The Nghe An Department of Health has received the investigation report on the abortion case leading to death from the People's Committee of Quy Chau district. To clarify the case further, on March 20, the Department of Health will establish an inspection team to go to Quy Chau to work and learn more.

Previously, on March 17, the Inspection Team of the People's Committee of Quy Chau district had a working session with relevant parties in the case of Ms. Vi Thi Khuyen (born in 1988, in Dom 2 village, Chau Phong commune, Quy Chau district) who died after having an abortion by Ms. Dinh Thi Thanh (born in 1966, in Ban 2 village, Chau Phong commune).

Minutes of the meeting between the People's Committee of Quy Chau district and the people involved in the incident. Photo: Thanh Chung

The minutes of the meeting clearly stated: At 8:00 a.m. on March 12, 2018, Ms. Dinh Thi Thanh performed an abortion for Ms. Khuyen at home by placing 2/3 of the length of a folay catheter - a catheter - into the uterus, without water or air.

After placing the order, Ms. Thanh gave Ms. Khuyen some spinach leaf juice and instructed her on how to use it. Ms. Thanh let Ms. Khuyen rest at Ms. Truong Thi Lien's house (Ms. Khuyen's mother) in the same Ban 2 village and went there to monitor.

After the abortion, Ms. Khuyen experienced many poor and critical health conditions. Her family took her to Quy Chau Medical Center, then transferred her to Tay Bac General Hospital for treatment, but Ms. Khuyen did not survive and died at 6:00 p.m. on March 15, 2018.

According to the minutes: After Ms. Khuyen died, Ms. Thanh and her husband came to visit and the two families discussed and agreed that Ms. Thanh would support Ms. Khuyen's family with 10 million VND.

The two families signed a memorandum of agreement not to sue in the future (witnessed by a representative of Chau Phong Commune Police). Ms. Thanh's family will help Mr. Dung (Ms. Khuyen's husband) take care of the two children when they are sick, and provide material support on holidays according to the family's wishes.

The catheter that Ms. Thanh declared was used for abortion. Photo: document

Working with the Inspection Team of the People's Committee of Quy Chau district, Ms. Dinh Thi Thanh stated: Ms. Lien and Ms. Khuyen came to ask her to have an abortion because Ms. Khuyen already had 2 daughters, and the ultrasound also showed that this fetus was a girl. Due to difficult family circumstances, they did not want to have more children.

Ms. Thanh refused, but because Ms. Lien begged too much and promised that if there was an unexpected accident, she would not sue, out of respect for the neighborhood, she performed an abortion for Ms. Khuyen.

Ms. Thanh added: Previously, Ms. Thanh had had abortions for herself and several others, but she did not know if anyone had had complications or not, and she also did not know that the law did not allow illegal abortions.

Information from the village health workers and the People's Committee of Quy Chau district confirmed: Ms. Dinh Thi Thanh only finished grade 7/10, did not have any degree or certificate to practice medicine. Ban 2 had organized propaganda about the prohibition of abortion on the village loudspeaker and directly met Ms. Thanh to propagate and remind her not to do it.

During this inspection, the working group of the Department of Health will clarify whether Ms. Thanh has expertise or not, because it is extremely difficult to insert a catheter into the uterus? What is the responsibility of the individuals and units involved?

After the inspection and clarification, the delegation will propose specific handling methods.