Neonatal Deaths and infections

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21 deaths in neonatal center spark inquiry

Posted on August 8, 2018 in Panama

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AN INVESTIGATION  to “clarify” the startling increase in baby deaths in a  Social Security Fund (CSS)  medical center will be kept open say hospital officials.

There were 21 deaths in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of the Arnulfo Arias Madrid  Hospital in July.

The director of Epidemiology of the entity, Rudick Kant, said that at the moment there are “Indications” that the increase in deaths in July was caused by the presence of high-risk pregnancies, twins, and infants born with congenital malformations reports La Prensa.

However, he sd that they wish to deeper investigation into factors that affected the deaths.

According to the entity, an alert was issued, since at the end of July when deaths totaled 21 when the monthly average in the Intensive Care Unit was from eight to 11 at most.

However, Kant ruled out that the deaths are related to the outbreak of some epidemic or nosocomial infection., he said that they study individually each one of the files of the mothers and their babies.

Gladys Guerrero head of Nosocomial Infections of the CSS did not rule out that because they are very premature children, some of them could acquire an infection.

He also mentioned that none of the malformations were related to Zika, transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquito.

CSS figures show that 5,000 babies are born each year in the Arnulfo Arias Madrid Hospital Complex of whom 900 are premature.

José González specialist in fetal maternal medicine of the CSS said that among twin pregnancies were children who had severe and advanced complications. Others suffered congenital malformations or came to the hospital seriously ill.

Among the malformations were: defects in the heart. Gonzalez noted that these were infants between 23 and 24 weeks of gestation, that is, between five and five and a half months of life.

The head of the Maternal and Child program, Sara Campana, called on pregnant women to have their prenatal check-ups done in time to detect abnormalities.

She said that when reviewing the children’s files they found women who started with their prenatal control in the second trimester, that is, at 20 weeks.

Xavier Sáez-Llorens, chief of Infectology at the Hospital del Niño, said there are always months in which the number of deaths deviates from the average. sometimes above and others down.

However, he said it is “important” to await the final report that will emerge when they conclude the epidemiological evaluations.

The coordinator of the National Negotiating Medical Commission, Domingo Moreno, questioned overcrowding in the neonatal ward.

 

https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama/21-deaths-in-neonatal-center-spark-inquiry

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Nosocomial infection ruled out in 21 hospital  baby deaths

Posted on August 11, 2018 in Panama

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A multidisciplinary investigation team has ruled out nosocomial infection as the cause of the deaths of 21 babies in the  Intensive Care Unit) of the Neonatology Room of the Dr Arnulfo Arias Madrid Hospital Complex.

Gladys Guerrero, national coordinator of Nosocomial infections of the Social Security Fund (CSS)  said  the team that carried out research in the Neonatal Unit, corroborated  that the  increased the deaths, in July, was the presence of three very high risk twin pregnancies four congenital malformations and the transfer of three newborns in extremely serious conditions.

“It has not been proven that there is a common infectious agent, not even in the infections that were found in six neonates “, said Dr Guerrero.

She said that in the room a daily surveillance is maintained, which has always been very strict, and the epidemiology and infection control team makes a daily report of all the conditions that may affect any condition that puts patients at risk.

She called on all women of childbearing age and in search of a pregnancy to go to the health checkpoints in a polyclinic to be evaluated and prescribed folic acid so that the disorders that occur in babies when this medication is not taken are avoided.

 

https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama/nosocomial-infection-ruled-out-in-21-hospital-baby-deaths

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After 9 years eight acquitted of premature baby deaths

The CSS hospital where the infant deaths occured.

Posted 24/06/2022

Eight people accused of the deaths of nine premature newborns in 2013 in the Neonatology Room of the Social Security Fund (CSS)were acquitted by The third liquidator judge, Fernando Basurto).

In an edict posted on June 23, the judge communicated his decision to acquit all those investigated on manslaughter charges.

The judge's decision was based on the fact that, in his opinion, there is no link between the defendants and the punishable act, since none of them had direct participation in the treatment received by the newborns.

In addition, it maintains that the evidence presented by the Public Ministry (MP intended to demonstrate the criminal responsibility of the defendants turned out to be insufficient.

The ruling explains that those investigated were accused of allegedly having failed in their duty of care, even though sodium heparin, applied in the treatment of neonates, was a drug duly approved by the Medicines Commission. of the Social Security Fund since 1969, without any warning being made about the content of benzyl alcohol in the medicine, which was updated on several occasions without any warning being made about its use.

During the trial held on April 28, the discharge prosecutor César Pereira requested the conviction of the defendants, alleging that scientific evidence was provided linking the defendants to the crime, who, he said, omitted or failed to comply with the standards of care of the newborns, which caused the death of nine of them and permanent injuries to another five.

In 2017, the then-fifth criminal judge Enrique Paniza called those under investigation to trial, considering that there were strong indications of their possible connection with the illicit investigation.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/after-9-years-eight-acquitted-of-premature-baby-deaths-1