A North West Regional Health Authority (NWRHA) official has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of parallel investigations into a series of baby deaths at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of the Port-of-Spain General Hospital (PoSGH).
The decision in relation to Darrel Jones, lead of the NWRHA’s Infection Prevention Control Unit, was made by the authority’s board of directors and announced via a media release yesterday.
The release said, “As the investigation matures, the NWRHA may make further recommendations for suspension if deemed necessary to advance the investigation.”
The release did not identify the employee by name but Guardian Media confirmed it was Jones via his account on the employment-related social media platform LinkedIn and a source within the authority.
The release specifically referred to the seven babies the authority previously said died of neonatal sepsis between April 4 and 7.
However, it went on to address four other babies who died prior to the period, albeit under suspected similar circumstances that were identified by lawyers for the families this week.
“The authority also wishes to advise that it will make a further statement as it relates to the additional neonates for whom it has also received pre-action protocol letters,” it said.
It also referred to an independent investigation to be conducted by Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) officials.
“The board of directors and the management of the NWRHA wishes to reiterate its commitment to transparency and accountability in respect to this difficult and painful situation and we look forward to co-operating fully with the independent investigation,” it added.
Meanwhile, lawyers for the families of babies yesterday reiterated their call for statistics on babies who died at the healthcare facility since January 1.
Attorney Sue Ann Deosaran, of Freedom Law Chambers, renewed the call in her latest legal correspondence to attorney Alana Bissessar, of Pollonais, Blanc, de la Bastide and Jacelon, which was retained to represent the NWRHA.
Deosaran said, “How on earth could the NWRHA expect the public to have any confidence in it as a public health provider when it is refusing to disclose such a critical statistic?”
“This information belongs to the public and the NWRHA’s continuing failure and/or refusal to disclose same has left our clients with the unmistakable impression that there is a sinister conspiracy to maliciously withhold such information because it wishes to manipulate and massage the statistical data and hospital records to downplay the true extent of this disaster,” she added.
Deosaran also complained over the NWRHA’s delay in disclosing the medical records of the 11 babies identified by her and her colleagues as possible subjects of a class-action medical negligence lawsuit.
On Tuesday, Bissessar wrote to the families’ legal team indicating that the delay in disclosing the records was because the NWRHA had to make photocopies because they are not electronically stored.
Deosaran also noted that Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh gave assurances over the disclosure while speaking on the issue in Parliament.
“We are yet to be provided with any of our clients’ medical notes and records as promised despite the expiration of his (Deyalsingh’s) self-imposed deadline and public commitment,” she said.
“One does not have to be a rocket scientist to understand why this is so important to our clients in light of their legitimate fears that the medical notes and records could be fraudulently altered to manufacture and fabricate a defence for the NWRHA when there is no basis for same.”
Deosaran’s most recent correspondence primarily sought to detail what transpired with twins Ella and Esme Molino, who died at the hospital on March 18 and April 4.
The other babies identified by Deosaran and her colleagues are Kae’Jhene Kemiah Charles, Crystell Precious Miracle, Aarya Raya Chatergoon, Amilia Williams, Romani Williams, Skiye Samuel, Jayden Allister Pierre, and twins Amari and Kyrie George Bhagan.
Thus far, pre-action protocol letters have been sent on half of eight of the 11 babies.
Separate letters itemising the claims in relation to each of the babies have to be sent, as separate lawsuits will have to be filed before a High Court judge decides whether they can be joined for the proposed class action lawsuit.
The families’ lawyers have promised to send other letters in relation to the remaining babies after they complete interviews with them.
In the letter, Deosaran also requested information on a baby who was reportedly transferred from a private medical institution prior to the Molino twins’ deaths and was noticed by the Molinos based on the level of care it received from doctors and nurses at the hospital.
“Why was this baby not properly isolated to minimise the risk of transmission? Why was the medical staff not wearing proper PPE and washing their hands and properly sanitising in accordance with the established and required healthcare protocols for the NICU?” Deosaran asked.
“What is the present status of this baby?—Did that baby die or was the PoSGH able to save that baby’s life? And if so, why was similar care not afforded or given to our clients’ healthy babies who did not have any form of infection at the time they were placed in the NICU?” she added.
While Deosaran commended the NWRHA for agreeing to pay the cost of private psychological counselling for her clients, she suggested that more could be done.
“It is disappointing, however, that no other form of financial assistance was offered for the grieving mothers and we, therefore, anxiously await your proposal in this regard and we refuse to believe that the NWRHA could find money to hire one of the largest law firms in the country to seek its interest but cannot offer one red cent by way of assistance or compensation to these families,” she said.