Health Ministry blames doctors for infected babies

The Permanent Secretary in the Health Ministry yesterday said doctors are causing infections among babies, and security guards will be posted at the ICU of the Mt Hope Women’s Hospital to ensure that there is no breach of infection control protocols. 

O’Brien said according to reports received by the Ministry, doctors are going into the ICU with their “street clothes and cell phones,” and the Ministry’s information indicated that this is common practice. Referring to the two infant deaths publicised in the media, O’Brien chided the media for not investigating the cases. “I would expect the press would have done the kind of investigation to find out where did the babies come from, what conditions do they come from who is going into wards in their street clothes and cell phones.” He said it is unfair to jump to the conclusion that conditions at hospitals are poor “based on emotionalism from people who are distraught.”   

When told that doctors have said hospital conditions are causing infections, O’Brien said: “Do you expect a doctor to say ‘I introduced bacteria into the ward because I came out of my vehicle from wherever I was coming from and caused infection when I went into a neonatal unit with my clothes and I did not put on a gown and scrub up before?’” He said it is not the Ministry’s responsibility to discipline these doctors but the responsibility of the Medical Chief-of-Staff. O’Brien said what happened at Mt Hope Hospital was because protocols were allowed to break down. He said a policy is being established by the North West Regional Health Authority  in which “security personnel will ensure those entering are properly clad” to minimise the possibility of bacteria being introduced by anyone entering the ward.

Although shortage of staff is another reason put forward by doctors for infections occurring, O’Brien said the Ministry has tried to address this problem by bringing in Cuban and United Nations doctors. Another senior Health Ministry official told Newsday that a dedicated isolation area will be constructed at Mt Hope to prevent infections taking place when babies are admitted from outside the institution. The two babies brought to Mt Hope which tests later confirmed had enterobacter came from Sangre Grande Hospital and Tobago. The neonatal unit and other areas of the Women’s Hospital are being sanitised following the discovery of the new enterobacter cases.