Dominican Republic probe finds medical negligence in deaths of 11 toddlers

Santo Domingo.- There was medical negligence in the handling of cases of the 11 toddlers who died last weekend at Roberto Reid Cabral hospital, according to the commission president Danilo Medina appointed to investigate the causes of the deaths.

It recommended that the Public Health Ministry impose professional and administrative penalties on the staff of the hospital when the faults and negligence are confirmed.

National Health Insurance director (SENASA) Altagracia Guzmán and Justice minister Francisco Domínguez made the announcement in a press conference Thursday, after the Commission rendered the report to Medina in the National Palace.

"In one case there wasn’t a timely diagnosis and handling since first hospitalized in a private clinic, to the last entry, and four other cases were infections of microbial agents that are contracted in the hospital," Guzmán said.

She said there was deficiency in the quality of the medical care in the cases of four of the children who died at the facility, cases with a clinical record note signed by the base doctor and only a note signed by the intern.

The official added that another cases showed that by chest x-ray, which was clearly a cardiomegaly and wasn’t evaluated as a possible heart failure, among other deficiencies.