There has been an increase in the number of babies dying at Jamaica’s premier maternal facility — the Victoria Jubilee Hospital (VJH).
The Ministry of Health and Wellness has confirmed the troubling surge, which comes as maternity hospitals brace for the start of the ‘crop season’ — a period marked by a spike in births.
The health ministry has not disclosed the exact number of deaths or comparative data, but it revealed that most of the affected newborns were premature and faced serious health complications from birth.
Information reaching THE WEEKEND STAR is that 24 babies have died at the facility since June 1.
Chief Medical Officer (CMO) at the Ministry of Health and Wellness, Dr Marion Bullock DuCasse, says the deaths are not linked to infection outbreak. The babies were in the special care nursery.
“There has been an increase compared to the previous months and to the same period last year,” Bullock DuCasse said.
She said that there has been an increase in critically ill and premature babies being admitted at the hospital.
“Of the babies that died, 55 per cent were premature and 60 per cent had low birth weight. This adds to the fragility of these babies,” the CMO said.
The South East Regional Health Authority, which manages the VJH, has launched a formal investigation into a rise in neonatal deaths at the hospital.
In the meantime, enhanced infection prevention and control protocols have been introduced at the VJH. These include increasing the spacing between neonatal patients and bolstering sanitation procedures. Staffing levels have been adjusted through redeployment, and additional resources are being allocated to monitor supplies and equipment to optimise care delivery.