Health Ministry receives PAHO review of nurseries amid newborn deaths

The Ministry of Health and Wellness is reporting that it has received a report from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) on special care nurseries at the Victoria Jubliee Hospital, Bustamante Hospital for Children, and the Spanish Town Hospital.

Arising from an outbreak of Klebsiella pneumoniae in the special care nurseries at the Victoria Jubilee Hospital, the Ministry requested technical assistance from PAHO regarding infection prevention and control measures in special care nurseries.

It was reported that 13 babies died during a bacterial outbreak at the Victoria Jubilee Hospital.

READ: Staffing crisis among factors blamed for dead babies

A health ministry review found that the spike in the deaths of newborns linked to the bacterial outbreak was due to a staffing crisis at neonatal units.

The review also attributed the increase to equipment challenges and overcrowding leading into the so-called crop season, where births exceed the general monthly average.

Daily average births rose from 28 in July and August to 42 in September, a ministry census showed.

READ: Tufton: Current dead-baby crisis different from Ferguson's time

In a statement this morning, the health ministry indicated that the PAHO report describes the main findings of a technical mission carried out between October 14 and 22 and also details the rapid assessments of infection prevention and control in the special care nurseries at the three health facilities.

The health ministry says the report is currently being reviewed by its technical team and that the main findings will be shared with the public.

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