Health minister ‘sorry’ for babies’ deaths

Health Minister John Rahael yesterday extended condolences to the parents of those babies who died recently at Mount Hope.

He also promised to act “with vigour” on the issue of investigating and determining whether there was any culpability on the part of the hospital in the death of the babies. He was speaking at a post-Cabinet news conference at Whitehall. Rahael said he was very sorry about the deaths of the babies. “Every death, no matter how it occurs, diminishes us all and none more so than the death of an infant, especially under circumstances and in an environment where it is least expected to occur,” he said. Rahael said he was speaking as a father, Minister, and on behalf of the Government when he extended condolences to the families of these infants. Stressing that he was not going to be part of any “cover-up,” Rahael said he was “eagerly awaiting” the post-mortem findings.

In stark contrast to his predecessor Colm Imbert, Health Minister John Rahael stated that he had not locked horns with any interest group in the Ministry. Rahael said that on Monday the Ministry launched the patient care health programme under which 500 people have been deployed with the three regional health authorities. They would assist nurses in the hospitals, though they would not dispense or administer medication, he said. He said Government also introduced the cardiac programme for indigent people and to date ten open heart surgeries had been performed under this arrangement. In addition to the adult open heart surgery,  pediatric surgery was also taking place at Mount Hope, he said, adding that some 222 children had benefitted.

Asked how he was settling in the Ministry, Rahael said he felt comfortable. He said relations with the doctors were “so far so good. We are all in this together, it is a team effort. The health of Trinidad and Tobago is paramount and more important than any interest group or any selfish views,” he said. Rahael said he would meet with all organisations who  legitimately represented the concerns of any group of workers within the health sector. He said MPATT was not yet recognised so he did not anticipate meeting with them.