Ashuza Halisi’s death was ruled accidental by Manitoba’s chief medical examiner on Thursday.
In a news release, Dr. Thambirajah Balachandra confirmed the 10-year-old girl died of an infection of the lining of her bowel, due to a perforated small intestine that was likely suffered during surgery for an umbilical hernia.
“It is kind of relief,” Ashuza’s father Willy Halisi Mushagalusa told Global News Thursday night. “We heard about her passing away from an infection, we thought maybe she wasn’t healthy. It put the blame on the family, the parents.”
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Halisi underwent the procedure on March 11th at the Maples Surgical Centre. She became ill shortly after, complaining of belly pain and vomiting. She was rushed to hospital March 13th, but died.
In an unusual move, Balachandra said he will not be calling an inquest into the girl’s death. Instead, he opted to recommend the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority call in a pediatric surgeon from outside the province to review the treatment and care Halisi received and recommend changes to prevent this similar deaths in the future.
“They are not going to bring our daughter back. It’s now a matter of waiting to if the WRHA follows up on the recommendations they were given,” said Halisi Mushagalusa
The Winnipeg Regional Health Authority responded Thursday afternoon, accepting Balachandra’s recommendations and noting changes already made as a result of the tragedy.
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