Public Health Minister, Dr George Norton has stated that the preliminary report into the improper disposal of a 22-week foetus at the Diamond Diagnostic Centre (the East Bank Regional Hospital) revealed that the doctor and nurse were culpable.
Dr Norton said that the official report would be released soon, but investigators have found the doctor who had delivered the baby and the nurse who was supposed to clean up afterward, were accountable. However, he indicated that both of the staffers denied any involvement.
The Standard Operating Procedure in such a situation would be to transport the foetus to the Georgetown Public Hospital to be disposed of – since the hospital has the recommended facilities to dispose of bio-hazardous waste.
The Minister stated that once he received the official report this week, action would be taken. Dr Norton, however, did not state the type of disciplinary action that would be taken.
INews had reported last week that a 26-year-old woman, who delivered the 22-week-old foetus, wanted nothing to do with the child’s remains and left its disposal to the hospital. However, the foetus was poorly disposed of by medical personnel and this went unnoticed until a stray dog dragged the body out of a dump heap and into the compound of the public hospital, dismembering it.
