Jamaica’s Health and Wellness Minister Dr. Christopher Tufton says Cabinet is scheduled to receive a report on Monday on the circumstances which led to the deaths of a dozen newborn babies at the Victoria Jubilee Hospital.
Speaking on a program on Radio Jamaica, Tufton said an outbreak of the Klebsiella Pneumoniae bacteria led to the deaths of the babies.
Tufton also insisted that there was no cover-up of the crisis by the Ministry.
“There was no intention of hiding anything…I have never taken a position that we should withhold information from the public when it is very important for the public to know.”
Meanwhile – the main Opposition People’s National Party (PNP) is calling for an audit to be conducted at the Victoria Jubilee Hospital.
Making the call at a press briefing on Friday, Opposition Spokesman on Health Dr. Morais Guy said Health and Wellness Minister Dr. Christopher Tufton must provide clarity about the unfortunate situation.
Meanwhile, while expressing condolences to the families, Opposition Leader Mark Golding, renewed the call for Tufton to resign.
He said the Health and Wellness Ministry, under Tufton’s guidance, has encountered several catastrophes, including the handling of the oxygen shortage at the start of the pandemic and the poor condition of the Cornwall Regional Hospital in the western end of the island.
Regarding calls for his resignation from the main opposition People’s National Party (PNP), Tufton said he has not discussed his resignation with Prime Minister Andrew Holness and the decision is in the hands of the prime minister.
On Saturday, the Ministry of Health and Wellness said the outbreak at the hospital is now under control.
According to the regional technical director in the Southeast Regional Health Authority Dr. Sandra Chambers, the ministry took immediate action after noticing an increased number of newborn deaths at the hospital in July.
She admitted that the chronic shortage of neonatal nurses could have also triggered the outbreak of the bacteria.
CMC/
