Callous display about babies deaths

The death of a baby is devastating to parents, in particular to the mother who has borne the discomfort of nine months of pregnancy, the pain of labour and then to know only grief and loss. It is a loss not only at the individual level but also a loss to society of a human life. When there are questions about the circumstances of the death, this adds to the stress on the family. The recent deaths of babies at Mt Hope Women’s Hospital quickly moved from a health and family grief issue to a political one when both the present and former Health Minister sought like little boys to compare deaths under their respective administration. “Only four babies died under my watch,” shouted a grinning Colm Imbert, Minister of Health. “You should resign!” shouted back former Health Minister Hamza Rafeeq. Babies were reduced to cold hard statistics without sensitivity that the statistics represent a loss to a family. Neither of them was really convincing because many of the complaints about the health sector remain the same—only the Ministers have changed. What a scandal in the face of the death of innocent babies to see Health Ministers behaving in this vulgar way.

Last Friday Health Minister Colm Imbert threatened action against those responsible for allowing unsanitary conditions to develop. He announced an investigation was being conducted by Manager of Quality, Valerie Rawlins to examine the circumstances which led to an increase in the number of cases of enterobacter bacteria and who is to blame. Routine tests found that ten babies were at varying stages of infection. They were evacuated last Tuesday and the neo-natal unit, labour and delivery sections were sanitised. The paediatricians were replaced by spin doctors.
Imbert began issuing releases showing mortality figures for 2001, 2002 and early part of this year at Mt Hope Maternity Hospital to illustrate that during his tenure the number of neo-natal deaths appears to be falling. Imbert was quick to blame unsanitary conditions on management. However, doctors have said that enterobacteria is a nosocomial infection (ie it is hospital acquired) so at one point or another enterobacter or some other hospital infection would show. The number of cases at Mt Hope is what prompted the Consultant at the neo-natal unit to alert the authorities and that is how the neo-natal unit, labour and delivery areas were sanitised.

It is interesting to note that the Health Ministry knew of the closure of the neo-natal unit since Monday, but only after this became public knowledge in the media and an alarm raised did the Ministry via the Minister make a public statement. This type of reactionary attitude is typical. Also typical is the speed with which they swing into spin when exposed. Questions arise about the cleaning/sanitisation at Mt Hope Women’s Hospital. 
When was the last time a sterilisation exercise of the type carried out last week done at Mt Hope? How often should this be done? What measures are in place to ensure that the sanitised environment does not deteriorate? These questions have not been fully addressed by the North West Regional Health Authority,  which appears to have a hands-off approach to the issue although it is the manager of the institution. To date not a word has been heard from this organisation on the death of the babies.

Imbert has announced that $5 million will be spent to sanitise the Maternity section of the Port-of-Spain General Hospital and a special project will take place to revamp maternity sections at San Fernando General and Sangre Grande hospitals. It took the spotlight on the deaths at Mt Hope to cause the Minister to take special interest in maternity units across the country? What about the other areas of the hospital which should be kept properly sanitised? Imbert has said the money being spent at PoSGH will come from its maintenance fund. This provokes another question? What has the NWHRA has been doing about maintenance to have so much money accumulated in this fund.  The same RHA has to secure a loan to pay off its debts. The whole situation is disgraceful and not worthy of a civilised society where the loss of even one baby brings grief. In TT we are comparing how many died under which Government. We should all hang our heads in shame at such display of callousness.

jstarr@newsday.co.tt