KHMH Responds to Concerns Over Infant Deaths

As concern mounts over recent infant deaths at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital Authority (KHMHA), the hospital says it is extending support to grieving families while upholding clinical standards of care. 

In a statement, KHMHA said it “empathises deeply with the parents and families who have experienced the loss of their child,” describing the death of an infant as an “immeasurable and painful loss.” KHMH says it has made contact with each affected parent and is offering “support, compassion, and continued engagement.”

According to the hospital, the infants who died were being treated for complex medical conditions, including “prematurity, congenital birth defects, and malnourishment,” which place newborns at “extremely high risk.” KHMHA assured the public that established clinical protocols remain in place and that it is working closely with the Ministry of Health and Wellness to ensure safe and effective neonatal and paediatric care.

Still, for one young mother, those explanations do little to ease her grief.

She told News Five that she first brought her baby to the hospital after noticing his eyes turning yellow. Born prematurely at 36 weeks, the infant was discharged the day after birth, a decision she felt was too soon. When she later returned with a referral, she says she waited for hours without assistance.

The mother recounted that her baby was placed under heat instead of phototherapy, and staff struggled repeatedly to draw blood. She described feeling judged and blamed, recalling one staff member telling her, “This baby nuh look like you dih take good care of him.”

Her son was placed on drips, and doctors told her he would need a blood transfusion. But the only blood available for her baby was 29 days old. The concerned mother questioned whether it would be safe, yet said she ultimately relied on medical staff to guide her decisions. “They’re the professionals, so I had to go with what they say,” she explained.

But in the early morning hours, she noticed changes in his breathing and vomiting. When the vomiting worsened, nurses began CPR. She knew her son had passed in that moment.

She added that she was left waiting outside the room for nearly half an hour before being told her baby had died of septic shock. “She didn’t even tell me ‘my condolences’ or give a hug,” the mother said, describing the lack of sympathy she felt.

KHMHA, in its statement, says it is bound by “legal and ethical obligations”, including patient confidentiality and mandatory reporting requirements, and that all matters will be addressed “with sensitivity and professionalism”. The hospital also says it remains committed to transparency through the appropriate clinical and administrative processes.

In the aftermath, the mother says police and human services became involved, leaving her feeling accused rather than supported. She recalled being asked at the police station if her baby had died as a result of neglect.