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It resulted in the loss of a life, and the Ministry is investigating to see where the breakdown at the Corozal hospital happened and if any disciplinary action will be brought against staff. Here is more from the Director of Health Care Service Dr. Manzanero.

Dr. Marvin Manzanero, Director of Health Care Services
"Well we got the first alert, I believe almost form the time it happened, at least I got it through mobile communication. Once that came to us, we asked for the management team at Corozal Community Hospital for an initial investigation. What that usually would do is there is an initial peer review conducted by the chief of staff and management from Corozal. And I got a preliminary report in writing from one of the nurses yesterday, very early in the morning. Notwithstanding that we had our MCH director maternal and child health that was going up to the North and she went and conducted a second peer review of the case. I haven't gotten that report in writing, I have some of the verbal communication and I spoke with the chief of staff this morning. At least what I am trying to ascertain, or what we're trying to say as ministry is what happened within the hospital."

"Our understanding was that there was a doctor in the A and E seeing another patient at the hospital. There's a doctor that should always be available at A and E, so 24/7 the shifts are ongoing. What may have happened is there was a miscommunication in terms of what the nurse may have said to the patient, so we are trying ascertain the levels of responsibility because it doesn't seem the doctor who was inside the A and E was made aware that there was a patient and the patient might not have been assessed initially. Which should be the case by the nurse whoever was the triage person and make the determination of where the patient goes."

Reporter:
"Would you say at this point that you guys are taking some form or some level of responsibility for the child's death, would you be able to say that definitively at this point?"

Dr. Marvin Manzanero
"I can't say that because we are trying to ascertain who ought to have done what they were supposed to have done at each level of interaction."

"As I said there is many layers of responsibility, we can only be held accountable for what we believe happened once the patient arrives. One we ascertain that. I think we assume that there are levels of responsibility and actions to be taken depending on what each responsible person should have done or ought to have done. We are at the head of the health care workers, patients are coming to us. We need to be able to make that decision and guide the process."

Dr. Manzanero says they should have a competed file on this case by Monday. As you heard, the family says they will seek legal action so the Ministry has to be prepared if the family will follow through. But this is certainly not the first time the Corozal Community Hospital has come under scrutiny. There was the case in September 2018 where a dad had to deliver his own child because the family says that the staff at the Corozal hospital didn't properly attend to his pregnant wife. Fortunately in that case, the baby boy survived. Dr. Manzanero says he is aware of these concerns and the Ministry is working on addressing them.

Dr. Marvin Manzanero, Director of Health Care Services
"I believe I'm aware of the previous case that you mentioned, actions were taken as a result of that, they were peer reviews and peer reviews doesn't mean just sitting around and doing an investigations. But in terms of flow of the patients, in terms or training opportunities and all of that, that is being done, and that's still happening actually. That's one, and two in terms of the order of issues, if we are not made aware and I know social media seems to be a form of people venting out, we cant possibly follow everything that's happening. If people are able to tell u what specifically is happening, then I think we are able to specifically give individual answers to people, but I mean, trying to defend everything that pops up also becomes cumbersome because that's not the only thing we have to do. But it's a work in progress, I mean, we should be able to continue to ensure that the health systems progress system evolves to meet the standards of those who we serve."

We'll keep following this story.