Investigation reveals “gaps” in care of babies that died
In a one month period three young babies have died and the allegations have been hospital negligence. The first two cases were reported at the PG Hospital and the third occurred at the Corozal Town Hospital. Well, the investigations are now complete in the PG cases. News Five tracked down Director of Health Services, Dr. Michael Pitts, today and got responses about the circumstances of both deaths in the Toledo District. While he cannot offer specifics as to who was at fault and what measures will follow, he did say that there were gaps in the care provided.
Dr. Michael Pitt, Director of Health Services
“There was a gap where the paper was not afforded attention at a point that I think that administratively they could have done something differently.”
Marion Ali
“So will somebody be penalized for this?”
Dr. Michael Pitts
“Well, you know, you look at this and you look in terms of the complete rules and how you apportion blame or understanding. There are different need for different level of action but you have some administrative action and some professional action or sanctions that we need to take. Then we need to look at some financial action.”
Marion Ali
“Doctor Pitts forgive me but I don’t get it Sir. Two babies died in Toledo within a period of nine days and the allegations are from a wide spectrum of the people down there and it’s been going on for years according to them. The negligence, that there’s gross negligence that the treatment that they have been getting is not…”
Dr. Michael Pitts
“Okay, you’re making allegations.”
Marion Ali
“I am asking if in the scope of your investigations, did you come across any of these as factual?”
Dr. Michael Pitts
“Listen, what I—you see you’re making a determination about gross negligence and so and I’m saying when I finish with the investigation I placed it to the SolGen office to let them make that determination as to whether or not that was gross negligence. I get the facts and I present it so that I won’t be prejudicial in any way or the other. Once they tell me exactly what this is, I will say listen these are the particular options. And you have options across the spectrum. Some of them may be administrative action, they may be professional action to say here is the nurse and determine okay this is a problem then you go to a nursing council and you take action. You also have action within the public service that you could do certain things and public service has certain ruled that you work with.”
Pitts says he will direct his findings to the Solicitor General to conclude what specifically will be done. Pitts says in PG, fathers are now allowed to be present in the delivery room. He told News Five that an investigation has also begun into the death of the third baby from Corozal Town Hospital.
