Health Ministry Refutes Sunday Herald’s Claims

The Ministry of Health has issued the following statement in response to the Sunday Herald’s (April 18) article headlined “Kids Dying Slowly”.
“The allegations printed in the Sunday Herald (April 18-24) article entitled “Kids Dying Slowly” are inaccurate, reckless and a misrepresentation of the process of managing patients with heart disease requiring surgery.
“It is unfortunate that the Sunday Herald posed questions to Bustamante Hospital for Children only hours before the publication deadline, and did not afford them the opportunity to provide a timely response which would have clarified the issues raised.
“The fact is that all pediatric cardiac cases are thoroughly assessed clinically and with appropriate investigations to effect management. Patients with cardiac disease are managed at the Bustamante Hospital for Children based on the clinical presentation of the patient and the availability of support services and other resources. In cases requiring surgery, operations are done by a local team, visiting surgical teams or by sending patients abroad utilizing clearly defined protocols.
“The Ministry of Health wishes to make it clear that the Bustamante Hospital for Children was not responsible for divulging patients’ information to the Sunday Herald. The Ministry and the Bustamante Children’s Hospital remain committed to providing the highest standard of care to the children of Jamaica and ensuring confidentiality of medical information.”