Women’s hospital to be relocated

Although a report on recent deaths of babies at Mt Hope Women’s Hospital is yet to be handed in, Health Minister John Rahael said the authorities are “looking at” relocating the facility to the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Com-plex. A site has not yet been identified.

Speaking to the media on Monday evening after the launch of the first publication of the Elizabeth Quamina National Cancer Registry at Hilton Trinidad, Rahael suggested that the problems with infections at the Women’s Hospital might be more than just enterobacter. “It might have something to do with the infrastructure,” he said. Investigations have also been conducted by the Pan American Health Organisation and other organisations. He said it is unfortunate for deaths to take place at the hospital and he has asked for the files to be reviewed “based on how many babies may have died of enterobacter.”  The Health Minister said protocol and controls must be in place to ensure that people entering the hospital who may have any disease can be isolated.

Corporate communications manager for the North West Regional Health Authority, Charmaine Codrington, said a report is expected to be submitted by Dr Petronella Manning-Alleyne. The neonatal unit at the Women’s Hospital has been sanitised for a second time since September after Anisa Ramdial and Nazeema Narine complained to the media about the deaths of their babies at the hospital. Ramdial said her baby’s death on October 7 was due to enterobacter bacteria. The NWRHA issued a media release which stated that the baby died of complications due to its premature condition.