PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh Friday said that health authorities are determined to find out the “underlying factors which may have led” to the incident resulting in several babies dying at the neonatal unit of the Port of Spain General Hospital.
In a statement, Deyalsingh said that while the country’s attention has been focused on the hospital deaths over the past few weeks, the Ministry of Health will continue to provide support to the affected families and facilitate the independent review of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).
“I want to assure Trinidad and Tobago that this one incident, in one intensive care unit, in one Regional Health Authority (RHA) should not and cannot define the public health system in the country.”
He said he wanted to remind citizens that the public health care system “provides the highest level of neonatal care for severely ill and premature neonates.
‘We also provide the highest level of care for the country’s most complex and high-risk pregnancies,” and the public health care system “continues to receive unreservedly referrals from the private sector for patients who require the highest level of care.”
Deyalsingh urged the population’s members to resist the temptation to vilify our healthcare workers,” saying, “Instead, let us rally around them with the support and encouragement they deserve.”
Meanwhile, PAHO, in a statement, said that following the occurrence of seven newborn deaths during the week of 2-9 April 2024, it had been requested by Trinidad and Tobago to assist in the investigations regarding the cause of the deaths.
It said a PAHO-organized mission comprised of international experts in infection prevention and control (IPC), epidemiology, microbiology, and newborn intensive care has been deployed.
“The expected outcome of the mission, defined together with national authorities, is to support the identification of potential causes, prevent further cases, provide recommendations and a technical cooperation plan to strengthen the quality of neonatal care, including IPC, microbiology laboratory and antimicrobial use within the Port of Spain General Hospital.
“The in-country mission is ongoing and expected to conclude on 26 April 2024,” PAHO said, adding that it “will then provide recommendations to the Ministry of Health of Trinidad and Tobago.”
Deyalsingh has said he will make the report public.
PAHO said it stands ready to support Trinidad and Tobago health authorities in strengthening capacities to improve health care delivery.
“As part of its technical cooperation mandate and in close collaboration with national authorities, PAHO supports its member states in matters related to public health. This includes reviewing adverse events in health service delivery, with a shared goal of providing immediate, medium-, and long-term recommendations to improve health outcomes.”
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