What Killed Baby Ricardo? Health Officials Stumped
Marvin Manzanero
Doctor Manzanero told News Five that their investigation of Baby Ricardo’s death overlapped with that of the investigation into the clinic, but to affix a particular cause of death and apportioning blame will be difficult because of the murky circumstances of the baby’s treatment and care, both at the home and at the clinic. The Ministry of Health is however satisfied that the baby did not die under their direct care and supervision. The possibility remains open for civil action against the clinic and its owners/operators by both the parents and the Ministry.
Dr. Marvin Manzanero, Director of Health Services
“The things were parallel; actually we had gotten photos and the full report one or two days prior [to] the incident of the baby being reported; so when the report came to my desk I didn’t know that the baby had been seen at this particular clinic, they came as two separate [reports.] You understand that you have drug inspectors reviewing the pharmacy element; you have licensing and accreditation staff reviewing the clinic; you have the Nursing Council policing the nurses and you have the Medical Council policing the doctors; so it’s a merger of those entities that we have to go back and do reviews on.”
Reporter
“You mention the issue with the complications of the baby; where does the fault lie in the treatment, and how is that going to be settled by the Ministry?”
Dr. Marvin Manzanero
“I believe this can turn out to be a civil lawsuit, perhaps, but who takes that? Because the nurse, who to begin with doesn’t have a license to practice as a nurse – it’s not that she gave the wrong medication; what we found, at least our report is, is that the medications were wrongly labelled, which means that if she gave medication A and medication B, which may have been indicated, the label for medication B was placed on medication A and the label for medication A was placed on medication B. so it’s a wrong dosaging. I can’t tell you that that is reason why the baby died; I think this may be a contributing factor. But the baby had diarrhoea, the baby had vomiting; the baby wasn’t properly treated that first time, perhaps; the fact that the baby evolved and was at home, being taken care of at home, and no further medical care was sought until the baby was rather complicated. As I understand it from the report we were able to gather, the baby died en route to the hospital; I think the baby died in the father’s hands while they were traversing to the public hospital. In hindsight it’s going to be difficult because we don’t have any record other than the baby arriving dead at the hospital.”
