Coroner calls for State review of Covid response after death of 17-year-old Sally Maaz
Sally Maaz was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect and underwent a number of surgeries and procedures during her life.
A coroner has asked the Government to establish a review of the State's response to the Covid pandemic following the death of a young Mayo student at the healthcare facility during the height of the first wave of Covid in the spring of 2020.
Patrick O’Connor recorded a verdict of death by natural causes at the conclusion of the inquest into the death of 17-year-old Leaving Cert student Sally Maaz, from Carrowreagh, Ballyhaunis.
Mr O’Connor had heard evidence from over 20 witnesses at a two-day hearing at the old courthouse in Swinford in February.
The inquest heard that shortly after her birth in Syria in 2002, Ms Maaz was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect and underwent a number of surgeries and procedures during her life. She was admitted to MUH on April 14, 2020, suffering from shortness of breath and severe lower back pain. She was later diagnosed with a pulmonary embolism, MRSA, and high potassium levels.
After initially testing negative for Covid-19, she tested positive on April 19 and passed away on April 24.
At yesterday’s resumed hearing, Mr O’Connor ruled that Sally had died from Covid-19 and made five recommendations for MUH.
He has asked the Government to establish an expert group to review the manner in which the State, through its various agencies and entities, particularly the Department of Health and the HSE, dealt with the Covid pandemic in Ireland, "with a view to learning lessons and ensuring that the State is adequately and properly prepared for any further pandemic, of whatsoever nature, that may have to be dealt with in the country".
Mr O'Connor has also called on Mayo University Hospital (MUH) and the Saolta Hospital Group to "take careful note and learn such lessons as are appropriate from the evidence adduced at this inquest which has been fully and clearly documented in the transcript of both days of the hearing by stenographers".
In addition, he has asked that appropriate communication and notification in writing take place between the medical clinicians on the handover of care, by them to others, of any patient at MUH.
The coroner has also called on the hospital to put in place clear lines of responsibility for the care of patients by all clinical staff.
It is also recommended that the protocols of MUH for liaising with members of a patient’s family be reviewed and updated, if necessary, such that there are clear guidelines in place for staff on communications with patients and their respective family members.
Mr O’Connor commended the legal representatives, Johan Verbruggan (for the Maaz family) and Padraig Brennan (for the HSE), stating they had gone through a considerable volume of work and investigations which "would be the equivalent of a significant High Court case".
He said he had also received significant co-operation from the hospital staff and teams who did an enormous amount of background work.
The coroner said the case was particularly sad for the Maaz family who had lost a daughter and sibling at such a young age, having initially moved to Ireland from war-torn Syria.
"Regretfully, Covid is still with us.”
Mr O'Connor said Sally had succumbed to a "dreadful" virus during the early days of the pandemic.
During the hearing, three members of a Castlebar family were once again forcibly removed from the building.
Gardaí intervened when Jemima Burke shouted from the public gallery at Mr O’Connor, telling him he had decided the outcome of the inquest before the evidence was heard.
Her mother, Martina, and brother Josiah also shouted at Garda Superintendant Joe McKenna as he attempted to publicly sympathise with the Maaz family on behalf of An Garda Síochána, accusing him of "deceiving" the Maaz family. Jemima Burke continued to shout at gardaí as she was being ejected from the courtroom.
When the inquest concluded, the Maaz family were escorted from the courtroom through a side door, accompanied by gardaí and their legal representative.
