Newborn stable after Indian mother died in Portugal, says Embassy of India in Lisbon

The Embassy of India in Lisbon is in touch with the husband of a 34-year-old Indian woman, who died while giving birth to a child in Portugal, prompting the Southern European nation’s much-acclaimed Health Minister Marta Temido to resign.

New Delhi’s diplomatic mission in Lisbon on Thursday tweeted that the newborn child of the deceased woman was “stable” and it was extending “all necessary consular support” to the family with “due sensitivity and care”.

Arindam Bagchi, the spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), said in New Delhi that the government was in touch with the family after the “unfortunate” death of the woman.

Also read: Portugal health minister quits after pregnant Indian woman dies; probe ordered

The woman died after suffering a cardiac arrest while being shifted from Santa Maria Hospital to Sao Francisco Xavier Hospital in Lisbon. She had to be shifted as the neonatology unit of the Santa Maria Hospital was full and had no bed available for her and her child. She underwent a C-section at the Sao Francisco Xavier Hospital. She died after giving birth to the child.

The incident was attributed to purportedly prompted the Portugal’s Health Minister Marta Temido to resign, apparently owning up the responsibility of the country’s healthcare system to respond to the situation adequately.

Temido was credited with steering Portugal out of the Covid-19 pandemic. Her works were acknowledged by Portugal’s Prime Minister Antonio Costa, who himself has ancestral roots in Goa in India, on Twitter. Costa also promised to continue with reforms to make the national healthcare system of the country more responsive and efficient.

“We have seen some media reports which say that the Health Minister (of Portugal) has resigned and there is some link (with the death of the Indian woman) but, look, I am not aware of the full details,” Bagchi, the MEA spokesperson, said in New Delhi.

“Heartfelt condolences to the family on unfortunate death of a pregnant Indian woman in Lisbon due to medical issues. Mission is in touch with the husband,” tweeted the Embassy of India in Lisbon.