MIAMI, United States. – The Ministry of Public Health (MINSAP) of Cuba reported this Monday that 19 people had been sanctioned, whom it pointed out as responsible for the death of 10 babies at the Diez de Octubre Gynecology and Obstetric Hospital (known as Hijas de Galicia) during the first two weeks of 2023.
Although the island’s regime initially confirmed the death of eight newborns in the aforementioned health center, this Monday the MINSAP specified that a total of 10 babies had died prematurely and with low birth weight.
In an informative note Published on its website, the MINSAP attributed the tragedy to “an outbreak of infection associated with health care” and “violations of hygienic-sanitary measures.” It also indicated that 22 disciplinary measures had been applied to those responsible for the deaths.
“As a result of the analyzes carried out, 22 administrative measures were applied to 19 management cadres at different levels, as well as three to officials and workers. Due to these measures, five of the main executives were separated from the entity, six were removed from their posts, two changed jobs and another nine received reprimands”, specified the MINSAP.
According to the state body, the commission created to investigate the death of the 10 newborns ruled the presence of “an outbreak of infection associated with health care, in the neonatal intensive care room of the aforementioned medical institution.”
“The investigation carried out showed that six of the 10 babies who died —two of them after the event was reported on January 16— had signs of sepsis with positive blood cultures for Gram-negative germs, and the others died due to other causes. , caused by his delicate state of health ”, adds the official note.
“As demonstrated, -continues the MINSAP- the outbreak was linked to violations of hygienic-sanitary measures, which were added to problems of securing resources that the center presented at that time and implied affectations in the quality of care processes to the patients”.
According to the organization, after the unfortunate event, “new organizational, training and control actions” were taken that, supposedly, will allow “solving the deficiencies identified and minimizing the risks of infections related to health care, in all the facilities of the country”.
