8 babies dead in 10 days at AZP

“Reports indicate that 8 babies died in total within 10 days at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at the Academic Hospital Paramaribo (AZP),” Maureen Wijngaarde-Van Dijk, direct at the Health Ministry, told Times of Suriname. An investigation has been launched to determine if the deaths were the result of an infection caused by a rare hospital bacterium. “Given the fact that the babies were a very vulnerable group, the infection would have worsened their condition and ultimately resulting in their death. As a result of this the AZP has stopped admitting patients at that ward and has also launched an investigation. Measures have also been taken to prevent more infections,” said the AZP in a press release. After hospital officials had noticed an increase in the number of deaths at the NICU, an investigation was launched stat by the team from the Academic Pediatric Center Suriname (APCS), the infection prevention division, the microbiological lab, the pharmacy and the infectologists. The results of the investigation indicated that most of the newborns had been infected with a rare hospital bacterium. “A hospital hygienist, paediatricians, nurses and midwives were also involved in the investigation. The AZP is sparing no efforts in making sure that the situation will be normalized at the NICU within the next couple of days.