UNC queries report on babies’ deaths

In a statement issued yesterday, the Opposition UNC expressed concern about a report of the deaths of 13 babies at the Mount Hope Women’s Hospital over the past nine days due to a “mysterious illness.”

If the report is true, the UNC said, an investigation should take place and the Minister should make a statement. Hours later at yesterday’s post-Cabinet meeting at Whitehall, Health Minister Colm Imbert yesterday blamed poor sanitation at the neo-natal unit at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex for a viral infection suffered by 13 babies. Speaking at Whitehall, Imbert also criticised the absence of systems, monitoring and management in the health sector. “This is why these situations developed,” he said, adding that there was a very strong team at the Ministry at the level of the Principal Medical Officer which fortunately had the capability to respond very quickly to the situations. Imbert said the importance of sanitation in a neo-natal unit was not “rocket science.”

Imbert said that after an “unusual number” of  babies became ill, it was decided to move them to another hospital because it was discovered that conditions at the neo-natal unit at EWMSC were “not up to standard.” The North West Regional Health Authority (NWRHA) Communications Officer issued a statement from the office of the Ag Chief Executive Officer, which stated that the NWRHA “cannot associate the death of any baby or patient with an infection.” The NWRHA did admit that there was an increased incidence of infection at the hospital. “Mechanisms have been put in place to address the situation by having the unit and surrounding areas thoroughly cleansed and sanitised. Quality measures are presently being implemented,” the statement said. Attempts to get details about the infection at the Women’s Hosptial proved futile as the manager of the Women’s Hospital declined comment and referred Newsday to the Communications Officer. Ag CEO Karin Pierre could not be reached.