The Ministry of Health and the World Health Organisation were not able to identify the source of the acinetobacter baumanii bacterium that was found at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at the CWM Hospital during their investigation.
The Permanent Secretary, Philip Davis says it is clear that the acinetobacter baumannii bacterium has been present in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit for some considerable time and the review team confirmed that it was around in 2015, and possibly earlier.
Davis says the review team has confirmed that deaths are not uncommon among babies who are admitted to the Intensive Care Unit at CWM.
He says there has been at least one death in the unit every month since January 2015 and, in June 2016, there were 11 deaths, none of which tested positive for acinetobacter baumannii.
Davis says during the first six months of this year, when the bacterial outbreak was occurring, more than 20 babies who were not infected also died in the unit and the reality is that the unit provides care to some very vulnerable babies.
He says the health systems and processes for purchasing and distribution of medicine and equipment in Fiji are inadequate and have been for several years.
Davis says they are dealing with the issue.
Davis says the report also highlights weaknesses in implementing infection prevention and control practices, inconsistency in cleaning and poor handing of intravenous fluids which are all been currently addressed by the Ministry.
He says when the review team discussed their findings, they commented on the fact the staff were generally well aware of the importance of implementing infection prevention and control practices.
Davis says the WHO review team has also proposed a longer term action plan to tackle some of the more substantial and deep‑seated weaknesses in their infection prevention and control approaches.
He says that they will look carefully at that plan and ensure that all appropriate actions are clearly assigned to relevant senior staff, each of whom will be fully accountable for their completion.
Meanwhile the WHO representative for the South Pacific Doctor Corine Capuano says they hoped to find the source of the bacterium.
The Minister for Health, Rosy Akbar says they first commissioned this review in response to the loss of a number of babies who passed away in the neonatal intensive care unit of the CWM hospital during the first six months of this year.
Akbar says based on laboratory testing those babies were found to be infected with the acinetobacter baumannii bacterium and they have made it clear on many occasions that is has not been possible to establish that any babies have died as a direct result of the infection, as they were all admitted to the unit with other very serious medical conditions.
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