Report calls for reprimand in AIDS blood case
The report of the three man commission of inquiry into the transmission of HIV infected blood to three patients at the K.H.M.H. was made public today. At a hastily called press conference, Minister of Health Jose Coye, although not involved in the commission’s work, noted the transparency of the process which attempted to explain what he called an “enormous human tragedy.”
Jose Coye, Minister of Health
“In a nutshell, it is my opinion that the finding is saying that yes, based on the commission’s opinion and on the balance of probability, that there was some degree of negligence. But that occurred under circumstances, attenuating circumstances, vitiating circumstances, to use the word of the commission, which could have contributed to the degree of negligence. Those circumstances had to do of course with the very constraints that we recognise need to be addressed in the reform of the system. Those had to do with staff turnover, the shortage of staff, physical conditions, equipment et cetera.”
Stewart Krohn, Reporting
After hearing the testimony of nine witnesses, the commission concluded that only one individual, serologist Leona Garbutt, could be singled out for a share of blame in the tragedy. According to the report, she mistakenly cleared the deadly blood for use and “failed to do what a reasonable technician would have done.” But while Garbutt was found to be negligent, the report cited so many other contributing factors, that the only action recommended was a firm reprimand. And in an additional plea for leniency Minister Coye went beyond the report to offer his our opinion on the incident.
Jose Coye
“I myself personally believe that these attenuating circumstances must be taken into account, when internally we are to make judgement as to what that reprimand should be. And I will certainly appeal to the media in particular to understand indeed what the staff of the Medical Lab went through. We cannot be indifferent and ignore he sufferings and the pain of the victims, the patients and their families. But I am asking this press and the public at large, please do not be indifferent and ignore he traumatic experience and the hard working staff at the Medical Lab and the circumstances under which they had to work the service.”
Those services were described in detail by visiting consultant Wendy Kitson-Piggott. When asked if the Belize lab met international standards, the expert pulled no punches.
Wendy Kitson-Piggott, CAREC Consultant
“No, in answer to your question. They do not meet it, but unfortunately in order to meet the global standards, you need two things, the committed staff and no doubt you have that, but you need the resources, and unfortunately, you don’t have that. That had been stated over and over in reports that have been made to various governments. I am hoping that a silver lining to this cloud is that the country pumps some immediate resources into getting those organisations strengthened.
We’ve been fighting and struggling, the lab staff and I over several years to implement some of the standards. The issue with it is that some of the standards are not good enough, you really need to implement all of the standards. I think that’s the challenge. It’s costly, but at the end of the day we feel it pays you back, in terms of the diseases it may avert.”
And did she ever fear exactly the kind of tragedy that occurred at the end of March?”
Wendy Kitson-Piggott
“It was a disaster waiting to happen. And I think I’ve said that in the reports. That’s no secret, it doesn’t only hold for Belize, it holds for all of our Caribbean countries, it holds for any country. And I think the ten reports have probably pointed that out, that in fact if the systems are not in place, we don’t have to look for incidences. Whether you see them, whether you don’t see them, believe me their happening.”
Stewart Krohn for News Five.”
