00:00 How many more have died?
00:02 It's the question being posed by Freedom Law Chambers, which tells TV6,
00:07 seven may in fact be the minimum number of deaths attributable to alleged negligence
00:13 on the part of the Port of Spain General Hospital,
00:16 as several other parents have since contacted them with "similar horror stories".
00:22 Seven innocent babies have died due to gross medical negligence.
00:27 And what is troubling is the fact that the NWRHE adopted a hush-hush approach to this matter,
00:35 and each family thought that theirs was an isolated incident.
00:40 As grieving families continue to come forward, we are gathering the pieces of this jigsaw puzzle,
00:47 and the picture it is revealing is simply horrific.
00:51 The level and scale of this tragedy does not appear to be confined to these seven babies.
00:58 This is like a horror movie.
01:01 Freedom Law Chambers says it has it on good information
01:04 that the infection was introduced into the NICU from a baby which was transferred from a private institution.
01:12 Of major concern to us is the fact that we have been instructed that a baby
01:16 which was suffering from a serious viral infection was transferred to the NICU
01:22 in circumstances where the risk of transmission and exposure to infection was reasonably foreseeable.
01:29 No attempt was made to properly isolate our client's babies to prevent infection
01:35 because of the wealth, power and status of this prominent family.
01:39 The Law Chambers says its clients have expressed a grave concern
01:42 about the integrity of the medical notes and records,
01:45 as they have been requesting same with no success.
01:48 They are giving the hospital two days to furnish the records.
01:52 The medical records, which is very, very critical because we need to know
01:56 exactly what took place in relation to these babies.
01:59 We would like to get it by Monday evening, no later than 4pm.
02:04 The Northwest Regional Health Authority has been given one week to respond to the pre-action protocol letter,
02:11 failing which, legal action will be initiated.
02:14 We plan to issue pre-action protocol letters for each family based on their unique experience.
02:21 In some cases, this was the mother's first baby.
02:25 In others, it might have been the mother's last chance at having a child.
02:30 The distress, pain and suffering is unimaginable.
02:35 It is clear that there is an urgent need for a thorough investigation
02:39 into the facts and circumstances surrounding the death of these babies.
02:44 The Law Chambers says should there be no amicable resolution to the matter,
02:48 the affected parties are seeking general damages, special damages,
02:53 aggravated damages, exemplary damages, interest, costs,
02:58 and any further order that the court may deem fit.
03:02 Ronessa Cutting, TV6 News.
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