Another mother is seeking answers on the death of her baby at the Port of Spain General Hospital neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).
Relatives of the seven babies who died at the NICU between April 4 and 7 have initiated legal action against the North West Regional Health Authority (NWRHA), citing medical negligence.
So far, attorneys led by former attorney general Anand Ramlogan, SC, have issued two pre-action protocol letters to the NWRHA CEO Anthony Blake.
On April 15, a third was sent.
They all cite medical negligence. Ramlogan and his team represent Shaniya Raymond-Adams, Natasha Samuel, Shaquille Harry, Danyelle Samaroo, Tinelle Saunders, Jodie Molino, and Shirese Moore-Beckles.
On April 13, Ramlogan and attorneys from his Freedom Law Chambers said they propose to file “an unprecedented class action claim for medical negligence based on the mass death of seven innocent babies.”
Monday’s pre-action letter was sent on Samaroo’s behalf over the death of her baby, Aarya Raya Chattergoon.
It said the NWRHA has not acknowledged the previous letters on whether it intended to meet the April 15 deadline to provide the medical records.
“Our clients have expressed grave concern about the integrity of the medical notes and records for the mothers and their babies as they have been requesting same and these documents are yet to be provided to them. “They also said they will not be attending any meeting until they receive answers.
The letter said Samaroo was admitted to the Mt Hope Women’s Hospital on March 22. She was there for two days before she was transferred to the Port of Spain General Hospital because there was no space in the NICU at Mt Hope.
Samaroo was 34 weeks pregnant and went into pre-term labour. She had a caesarean section on March 26, and baby Aarya was placed in the NICU of the PoSGH.
When her parents visited her, the letter said, the baby was stable and active. The parents were also allegedly advised by hospital staff she was healthy and doing well,
On March 29, the letter said blood tests were done and showed no signs of an infection. Baby Aarya was breathing on her own and her parents were told she would be discharged soon.
On April 2, the letter said a doctor told the parents the hospital wanted to do a blood transfusion because the baby was not digesting properly.
The parents were told they would have to buy a blood filter privately, as the hospital had none. They did so and on March 4, the letter said, the transfusion was done and baby Aarya’s parents were told it had been successful and she was doing well. There was also no sign of infection from blood tests done that evening. The letter said Aarya was in a less intensive area of the NICU when her parents saw hospital personnel suddenly wearing gloves and gowns. They were told that had not been the case before.
By 3.41 pm on April 5, the letter said, Samaroo got a phone call telling her Aarya was not doing too well.
Her father, Avinash, saw seven doctors “operating” on the baby when he got to the hospital. When Sa