Jalapa Díaz Clinic Director Facing Termination For Failing To Help Indigenous Pregnant Mother

Margarito Andrés Velásquez, Sabino Salvador and Irma López Aurelio

Photos courtesy of Eloy Pacheco López/Facebook

Mexican congressional action seeks sanctions against those responsible for not providing medical attention to indigenous mother who gave birth on a grassy lawn outside a clinic and the termination of the clinic director.

By H. Nelson Goodson

October 12, 2013

San Felipe Jalapa de Díaz, Oaxaca, Mexico - On Friday, Marlene Aldeco Reyes, the president of Public Health Commission has asked Germán Tenorio Vasconcelos, the Oaxaca Secretary of Health to terminate Doctor Adrián René Cruz Cabrera, the head of the Jalapa Díaz Clinic, a nurse named Juliana and a social worker who failed to provide medical attention to an indigenous mother while in labor and giving birth. Reyes stated, that what happend to Irma López Aurelio, 28, shouldn't happen again to any other woman in labor or giving birth, Voz21 dot mx reported.

Dr. Cabrera has been suspended pending a state and federal investigation concerning the failure to provide immediate medical attention to López Aurelio.

Last Wednesday, López Aurelio, told Voz21 dot mx that she "gave birth like an animal and could have died." Her ordeal while giving birth at an outdoor clinic grassy yard after she was refused medical attention for two hours on October 2 has triggered a state and federal investigation in the Oaxacan state.

A photo of López Aurelio was taken on October 2, giving live birth at a grassy outdoor section of a clinic at the municipality of San Felipe Jalapa de Díaz went viral on the Internet and Spanish language media. López Aurelio an indigenous Mazatecan woman and her husband who don't speak Spanish went to a clinic looking for help because she was about to give birth. She apparently couldn't find any medical attention, because a nurse was trying to tell her she wasn't ready to give birth. Just before 7:30 a.m., López Aurelio went outside and her water broke. 

López Aurelio and her husband, Margarito Andrés Velásquez while outside the clinic grounds in a grassy section, she gave birth to a baby boy, who she named Sabino Salvador. She named him Sabino for his grandfather and Salvador because his birth has launched an investigation and action to provide medical attention to other women needing medical attention while giving birth, López Aurelio told Voz21.

López Aurelio was later charged $30 dollars for the medical attention and medicine that she received afterwards, according to Televisa. 

López Aurelio while giving birth began to scream and her agony attracted other people and Eloy Pacheco López who then took photos of the actual birth and gave them to a reporter. He also posted them on his Facebook page and wrote that López Aurelio had been waiting for two hours for medical attention and was given none.

Silva Flores, the Mayor of the town and other witnesses of the incident told media sources that the medical personnel for Doctor Adrián René Cruz Cabrera at the clinic are known to refuse service to women in need when they about to give birth. 

Mayor Flores also cited another incident, on July 18, when Christina López Durán was also denied service when she was about to give birth.

The refusal to give medical aid to the women raised questions and criticism of the mexican government and its medical practices towards indigenous people. But, Germán Tenorio Vasconcelos, the Oaxaca Secretary of Health justified the outdoor birth because a lack of hospital personnel at night. Last Wednesday, Vasconcelos in a public statement apologized to López Aurelio and her family for the failure of the clinic personnel to render medical attention. He said, that an investigation is underway to determine,  if López Aurelio was discriminated or her rights were violated.

López Aurelio and her son were hospitalized minutes afterwards on the same day, according to the Office of the Secretary of Health, which now says, they have made changes so this type of situations don't happen again and women can get care during giving birth in Oaxaca.

An investigation has been launched to determine, if the personnel at the clinic violated López Aurelio's rights. The López Aurelio family members confirmed that they will filed a complaint with an arbitrator for the Oaxaca Medical Commission.