IT was supposed to be a double bundle of joy for the Low family, but it became a tragedy instead.

After giving birth to the premature twins by a Caesarean section last Saturday, Madam Swee Lay Kuan , 44, died from massive bleeding two days later.

Her husband, 43-year-old Mr Jason Low claims that Raffles Hospital, where his wife was admitted, did not have enough blood stock and the staff told him that the authorities needed to approve application to get more blood from the Bloodbank @ Health Sciences Authority (HSA). The hospital has denied this, saying that a continuous supply of bloold is always available for patients.

A staff also suggested Mr Low ask his family and friends to donate blood at the Bloodbank @ HSA for Madam Swee's use.

Some 200 relatives and friends responded and turned up at the Bloodbank @ HSA to donate blood, and Mr Low claims that only after that was more blood released.

 Madam See, a sub-contractor, was given transfusions of 103 units - about 46 litres - of blood and blood products over two days following surgery to remove her womb. The procedure was carried out soon after the twins were delivered on Saturday, due to profuse bleeding.

The mother of four was originally scheduled to deliver on Aug 23, but was admitted last Thursday for bleeding that was caused by a low-lying placenta (placenta praevia).

As there was a risk of premature labour, the hospital performed a Caesarean section on Saturday, "in the interests of the twins' safety".

In response to Mr Low's claims that the hospital did not have enough blood, a spokesperson from Raffles Hospital told The New Paper (TNP) that a continuous supply is always available.

Like all other hospitals in Singapore, Raffles Hospital holds stocks of emergency blood from the Bloodbank @ HSA for immediate use during emergencies.

"The hospital would also arrange to obtain replenishments of its emergency stock from the blood bank. A supply of blood and blood products for patients who need further transfusions would also be obtained," the spokesperson told TNP.

He added that it was customary in cases like Madam Swee's, "relatives and well-wishers were requested to assist the Bloodbank @ HSA's Centre for Transfusion Medicine (CTM) in replenishing their stocks."

Dr Diana Teo, director of the Centre for Transfusion Medicine (CTM) of HAS said that although the centre is appreciative of family and friends coming forward to donate blood, it is "never a requirement for any patient needing blood transfusions."

"The provision of blood is dependent only on the patient's clinical condition," Dr Teo told TNP. "Whether she needs 40 bags or 100 bags of blood, we will supply," she added.

There is also no "higher authority" that needs to approve the release of blood, she said.


For the full report, read The New Paper today