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The Ministry of Health has issued an official release regarding a recent death at the JNF Hospital involving an infant. Social Media was buzzing after a statement appeared indicating that an Infant had died because of the lack of basic medication at the Hospital. The media post suggested that the only available medication was expired since 2017. The post spread all across social media and propelled by well known SKN Opposition Labour Party surrogates. The unfortunate death of the infant was being used by the Oppositon to gain political points by manufacturing untruths regarding the incident.

In a release issued by the Ministry of HEALTH it was clearly outlined that the unfortunate demise of the Infant had nothing to do with expired or lack of any medication as indicated by various social media posts.

See below FULL Statement from Ministry of Health

 Statement from the Ministry of Health Regarding the Recent Death of a Baby  at the JNF General Hospital

The attention of the J.N.F. General Hospital and the Ministry of Health has been drawn to the circumstances surrounding the recent passing of an infant at the institution  and the social media posts that have been in circulation since July 14, 2019. The Executive Management Committee of the J.N.F. General Hospital and the Ministry of Health are using this medium to convey  deepest condolences to the mother of the infant and the relatives on the loss of their loved one. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family at this very difficult time.  The Ministry of Health is also using this opportunity to underscore commendation to the staff members who provided medical care to the infant and the mother. 

The Ministry of Health divorces itself from the social medial posts that were made on Sunday July 14, 2019. The statements in the social media posts do not accurately reflect the circumstances surrounding the occurrence. The Ministry also wishes to note that the pregnancy would have been deemed high risk by virtue of the limited prenatal  visits that would have  been made to our public health system. The Ministry  wants to emphasize that expired medication was not administered to the infant and death was not caused by the lack of medication. This was confirmed by an autopsy which was performed by a forensic pathologist  earlier this week. The social media posts represent  a significant breach of medical practitioner –  patient confidentiality and a breach of the ethical code that governs the medical profession. 

The Ministry of Health would like to assure the general public that: 

1.           The staff members at  the Maternity Ward, J.N.F. General Hospital are called upon to be professional and  committed to the ethical code that governs the medical profession

2.           The staff have all signed the Oath of Confidentiality which demands their respect  for patient’s private information which must be  held in the strictest confidence; 

3.           The staff members continuously receive in-service training to ensure the delivery of standard level of  medical care to all patients.

Pharmaceutical products  or medication utilized at the J.N.F. General Hospital are procured through the OECS pharmaceutical procurement system (PPS). The Ministry of Health contributes monetarily to this pooled procurement system to ensure  the availability of essential medication at all times. The Ministry of Health wants to assure the public that the OECS Pharmaceutical Procurement System works. 

The Ministry of Health is committed to the continuous /perpetual  strengthening of the health services delivered at the J.N.F. General Hospital to meet the needs of the Federation. 

Ministry of Health 

July 18, 2019