Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr Christopher Tufton, says Cabinet received reports from his ministry into the recent death of a newborn baby at the May Pen Hospital in Clarendon due to a lack of ventilators at the major healthcare facility and two other related incidents on Monday (June 24).

At the June 26 post-Cabient press briefing, Tufton advised that the South Regional Health Authority (SRHA) provided a summary report on the processes that were undertaken to manage the newborn while under the care of healthcare professionals at the facility.

“SRHA’s report details the efforts of the hospital to stabilise and manage the respiratory challenges that were experienced by baby Leonardo and that the team followed the required protocol to have achieved a more positive outcome,” Tufton said.

“While noting this tragedy and the effect that this death has caused on the family, members of the Cabinet expressed their concern related to the case and spoke to the team from May Pen Hospital about what more can be done to improve the service delivery to minimise these negative outcomes,” he added.

According to the health minister, Cabinet expressed its concern related to the case and has since ascertained from the May Pen Hospital what more can be done to improve service delivery to minimise negative outcomes.

Cabinet also received reports into the deaths of Rohan Livingston Bryan, who died at the Princess Margaret Hospital on April 30, two days after his admission, and Gloria Parris, who died at the Falmouth Public General Hospital.

“SERHA’s report identified several issues that may have contributed to the unfortunate outcome with Mr Bryan. Investigations by SERHA are still ongoing; however, the case has also been referred to the patients complaints mechanism, where an expert panel of physicians and legal experts is being convened to review the issues raised in the report and to determine if there is any negligence on the part of any of the responsible personnel, as well as to make any recommendations for the way forward,” Tufton said concerning the report submitted for Bryan.

Meanwhile, Tufton said the findings of a report submitted to Cabinet in relation to the death of Parris noted that efforts made by the healthcare team at the Falmouth Public General Hospital noted that the actions taken were appropriate in managing Parris’s case based on diagnosis.

Cabinet has since instructed the Western Regional Health Authority to ensure investigations into the incident are concluded urgently and that any remedial action required is implemented to ensure the referral systems are strengthened and that they become more agile in responding to complicated cases.