00:00According to the Ministry of Health, PAHO's report from the review mission was
00:04delivered on Friday June 21st at the ministry. It covers clinical events at a
00:09neonatal intensive care unit at the Port of Spain General Hospital Trinidad and
00:14Tobago in April 2024. The ministry says its clinical and technical staff and
00:19that of the Northwest Regional Health Authority will conduct an internal
00:24review of the findings in keeping with established standard practice. PAHO's
00:29investigation commenced with an in-country review conducted from the
00:3322nd of April to the 26th of April 2024 following the deaths of seven neonates
00:39between April 2nd and April 9th at the NICU and the death of another neonate on
00:44April 22nd. Subsequent to the cluster deaths, NWRH confirmed the presence of
00:51three bacteria in the NICU, Serratia marcescens, ESBL Klebsiella pneumoniae
00:56and Klebsiella aerogenes. In a statement issued on June 23rd, PAHO confirmed that
01:03the report has been provided to the Minister of Health, Terence D. Alsing, and
01:07includes its final recommendations. The PAHO review mission was led by newborn
01:13intensive care specialist Dr. Gillian Birchwood, professor of pediatrics, global
01:18health and epidemiology Dr. Nalini Singh and microbiologist Dr. Grisel
01:23Rodriguez. According to PAHO, the review team applied a systematic approach
01:28reviewing the multiple processes and procedures which impact the quality of
01:33services. It adds that the methodology used included on-site visits, discussions
01:40with health care workers, review and analysis of data, and the utilization of
01:45standardized and validated questionnaires to deliver evidence-based
01:49recommendations. PAHO says it, quotes, remains committed to providing ongoing
01:55technical support to the Ministry of Health as requested, including
02:00facilitating the implementation of the recommendations provided, end quote.
02:05Alicia Boucher, TV6 News
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