Health Ministry still investigating death of four infants at CWM Hospital

The Ministry of Health is still investigating whether the four infants that died at the CWM Hospital from pre-existing, life threatening conditions, including perinatal asphyxia, pneumonia and severe prematurity, all died from the same bacterium.

The Ministry had earlier revealed that these infants died over the past three weeks.

They say that with the assistance from the World Health Organisation, they are still trying to link the cause of their death to the same bacterium.

The Ministry has earlier stated that subsequent blood and spinal fluid tests showed that the infants had contracted the acinetobacter baumanii bacterium.

They say there is no evidence that this bacterium, which is wide spread in hospitals around the world, caused the deaths of these infants.

The Ministry has introduced a partial quarantine in sections of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of NICU at CWM.

However, as a precaution, the Ministry of Health has also introduced a partial quarantine in sections of Intensive Care Unit where these infants were treated.

The Ministry states all new neonatal admissions requiring intensive care are being treated in areas of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit where there is no serious risk of bacterial infection.

Permanent Secretary for Health, Phillip Davies had said that they are taking every action to minimize the risk of bacterial infection.

Davis says they are working closely with local expert staff from the World Health Organisation to ensure their work is in line with international best practice.

He stresses that there is no evidence that any infant deaths have been caused by infection from the bacterium.