Angry over the death of a newborn baby at the San Fernando General hospital last Wednesday, Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh has vowed take action against hospital staff if they are found to be negligent.
His warning came as the infant’s distraught parents, Wendell Weekes and Chez Gomez, prepare to sue the Ministry of Health and the South West Regional Health Authority (SWRHA) following the death of baby Jeremiah three days after his birth. An autopsy on Friday determined that the infant died after ingesting meconium (stool).
Deyalsingh said investigations are already underway into the circumstances of the infant’s death. He said at a meeting with officials of regional health authorities last Friday, he told them in no uncertain terms how disappointed he was at the increase in complaints against the hospital.
“I am very disappointed but we are trying to imbue best practice at the hospital. I want to offer my sincerest condolences to the family and out of this we hope some good will come so that future parents will not have to go through this. Everyone in SWRHA are under no illusions over how angry I am about this,” he said.
Asked what he believed was the cause of the decline in the quality of care, Deyalsingh said: “Poor leadership but we are fixing that. Two weeks ago we had a new head of the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Unit. I am concerned and unhappy about these reports but we are fixing this.”
Weekes, 22, and Gomez, 20, of La Pierre Street, Egypt Village, Point Fortin, said they will not rest until they get justice in the death of their son.
“We have to seek justice because this is foolishness. She was there for two weeks and they did nothing to induce. We prepared everything for our son. We had a baby room all ready, clothes, car seat, pram. We could have been enjoying our son all now but because of them he is gone. They could have done better than that,” Weekes said.
Gomez said she is trying her best to be normal.
“It really hard for me. It hard to sleep. I want justice for my son. I don’t know why they treated me this way. It was a horrible experience that I don’t want anyone to go through that,” she said.
The young mother was admitted to the hospital on October 19. She was already 40 weeks pregnant and her private doctor gave her a letter to take to the hospital recommending that they induce labour. Gomez said she was kept at the hospital for two weeks and during this time, no attempt was made to induce labour.
“They told me that I was too young to induce and I have to push out the baby,” she recalled.
She said the nurses were inhumane: “When I was in pain they rough me up and quarrel with me. When I asked them for a vomit bag or for water they tell me I had to get it myself. I was feeling really weak and they told me to go and walk it off. They were very insensitive and inhumane.”
Gomez said most of the time the nurses ignored her and none of the doctors considered her request to induce labour.
Baby Jeremiah’s funeral is expected to take place on Thursday.