By Rishard Khan
Copyright newsday
THE independent expert panel investigating the death of Jasher Francois, 6, has received written statements from the child’s parents, Health Minister Dr Lackram Bodoe confirmed on September 10.
The minister said the panel’s report will be finalised and submitted to the ministry once the statements have been thoroughly reviewed.
“The ministry remains committed to ensuring that this process is conducted with diligence, transparency, and respect for the perspectives of the family,” he told Newsday via WhatsApp.
He did not respond to questions on whether the report would be made public once submitted.
Francois died on August 6, hours after being admitted to the San Fernando Teaching Hospital for a dry cough. According to Aaron Francois, his son was otherwise normal until a nurse administered magnesium sulphate intravenously, causing him to vomit. He said she continued to administer it, during which Francois became unresponsive and died.
An investigation by the National Nursing Association said it did not find any wrongdoing on the nurse’s part.
“The involved general-trained nurse followed all professional instructions and performed all duties to an appropriate standard, given the systemic constraints in our healthcare environment. The nurse’s professionalism, composure, and adherence to protocol are to be commended, and we stand firmly in her defence,” an August 12 release said.
An autopsy by the hospital on August 7 concluded Francois died from aspiration pneumonitis – a condition caused by inhaling sterile gastric contents, like stomach acid.
Immediately following his death, Francois’ parents, Aaron and Yhnique, called for an independent investigation into the incident. They rejected the findings and commissioned an independent one, which was done on August 10. Performed by Prof Hubert Daisley, the autopsy concluded that Francois died from heart failure, likely triggered by the administration of magnesium sulphate medication. His parents accepted this finding, which they believe confirmed their suspicions.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar instructed the Ministry of Health to launch an investigation on August 8.
Initially given an August 20 deadline, it was later extended to August 25. In a statement, the ministry said the extension was to allow the panel to conduct a more thorough and holistic examination of all aspects of care received.
An August 27 release from the ministry said that although the panel submitted its report, Francois’ parents’ statements weren’t recorded, and it reached out to the couple in the interest of transparency.
