Peru’s Ombudsman’s Office reported Wednesday the death of a nearly two-year-old child after he was unable to access medical care because of a roadblock caused by anti-government protests in the Madre de Dios region, in the southeast of the country.
«We regret that (a) 1 year and 9 month old child passed away after not accessing timely medical attention. According to (the) San Jeronimo Health Center he arrived without vital signs. Family members indicated that they tried to transfer him from (the town of) Mazuco, but due to roadblocks in Madre De Dios he did not arrive in time,» the ombudsman’s office said in a statement posted on the social network Twitter.
The Ombudsman’s Office has reiterated its rejection of any act that prevents the transfer of people who require urgent health care.
They have also called on the population to remember that the right to protest «is exercised peacefully, without impeding the transit of ambulances and health personnel».
This is the third death of a baby since the beginning of the protests in the country. On January 9, a 35-week-old baby died in the ambulance which was transporting him to a regional hospital, where he had been referred to a specialist because of respiratory insufficiency and sepsis.
In addition, on January 18, another road blockade caused a pregnant teenager on her way to a health center to lose her 28-week premature baby, as confirmed by the Regional Health Management (Geresa) of the La Libertad region.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)