SWRHA responds to queries about baby’s death

VALDEEN SHEARS

THE South West Regional Health Authority (SWRHA) is denying there was any negligence involved in the death of newborn baby Jeremy Bernard from “cardiac arrest due to sepsis” on September 22.

The authority was responding to an article published today  in which the baby’s parents Savita Basdeo-Lochan, 38, and Jerome Bernard were calling for answers from the doctors at the San Fernando General Hospital where Jeremy was born on September 18 via Caesarean section.

Sepsis is a term for a severe blood infection, and can be caused by micro-organisms including bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites. Infection in babies can be contracted during pregnancy, from the mother’s genital tract during delivery or after birth from contact with others.

Today, the authority said “doctors followed all procedures” in the delivery and treatment of Baby Jeremy.

Chief executive officer Keith McDonald said according to the doctors’ notes, Basdeo-Lochan has a history of complicated pregnancies. He said the SWRHA had offered to do an autopsy on the baby’s body and counselling for the couple but they had refused both.

Basdeo-Lochan had taken to social media to highlight her loss and to call on other parents who had a similar experience to come forward.

She had also spoken about seeing pigeons and vultures on the hospital compound near the nursery, as well as ongoing construction work nearby and and said these were cause for concern.

McDonald, confirmed that repair work was being done in different areas of the hospital. But he said while the hospital has an issue with pigeons, "it is not a crisis". He said 40 babies, including Jeremy, were delivered on September 18 and, as far as he knows, the other babies left the hospital healthy.

"If there are sanitary issues, would it affect only one baby? She has a complicated history. Her baby died and we remain sympathetic. The doctors know best what went on. They rushed him off to treat with whatever they saw. His signs were not good from birth. His breathing was erratic, and he then had to be rushed to ICU – an isolated ward – its not open. We are willing to meet with her and sit and talk."

McDonald, who took up the position one month ago, added, "We do our best for and with all our patients."

He said since he has been on the job, a complaints management committee has been set up to deal with issues raised by patients.

When Newsday contacted Basdeo-Lochan, of Rochard Road, Penal, she said she and her husband intend to go to the committee. She said her six miscarriages were experienced within the first trimester, during her first marriage – eight years before she met Bernard. The couple have a two-and-half-year-old son, Justin, who was also delivered via C-section.

But Basdeo-Lochan said her pregnancy with Jeremy was so uneventful that doctors did not see the need to take the same precautionary measures they did during her pregnancy with Justin.

She said she returned to the hospital on September 30 to have her stitches removed and was told by doctors that the paediatric department said her baby was born with a heart condition. She is denying this, saying she and the foetus’ vitals were fine when she was being prepared for the surgery.

She said she had refused to have an autopsy done because she felt her "baby's body had suffered enough."

"My baby's death will not be in vain. His father and I are hearing daily of others who suffered like us...his death cannot be in vain."