More than 30 newborns have died in less than two weeks in Margarita’s main hospital

The increase in infant morbidity and mortality in recent weeks at the Luis Ortega Hospital, located in Porlamar, keeps the directors of the Nueva Esparta College of Physicians deeply worried.

By Dexcy Guédez // Correspondent lapatilla.com

José Antonio Narváez, President of that professional union, remarked that they have seen with concern the complaints from fathers and mothers who have seen babies die in that healthcare center, where the minimum conditions to provide moderately acceptable care don’t exist.

“We have seen in recent days that morbidity and mortality rates have increased in different wards, be it pediatrics, general medicine and obstetrics. We have seen how babies born prematurely die every day because of, on one hand, the hospital conditions that leave much to be desired. We have been without air conditioners for more than two weeks, operating rooms with temperatures of 28 and 30 degrees and forced to work in those conditions,” denounced Narváez.

He confirmed that this hospital was intervened on April 20th and so far they have not seen any progress or improvement it in terms of infrastructure and staffing.

On the outskirts of the island’s main referral healthcare center, Wilmer José Reyes was waiting for his newborn baby to be discharged, with whom he has had to fight to survive the alleged poor quality of care provided.

“My girl was born well and 12 hours later she developed a respiratory condition. Two days later, I saw her convulsing and spitting blood out of her mouth. In the 15 days that I have been here, I have seen 30 children die. Only this Monday, 7 babies woke up dead,” he asserted.

He urged the authorities of the Venezuelan Social Security Institute and the Ministry of Health to take into account the lack of supplies in the main healthcare center in Nueva Esparta.