CMD advocates for correcting failures at La Altagracia Maternity Hospital instead of carrying out layoffs
The president of the Dominican Medical Association (CMD), Luis Peña Núñez, recently spoke out about the delicate situation currently affecting the Nuestra Señora de La Altagracia Maternity Hospital, where an increase in infections caused by multidrug-resistant microorganisms has been detected in the neonatal intensive care units, leading to the death of three newborns.
According to the head of the medical guild, the current scenario evidences a vulnerability in the surveillance and sanitization protocols of the hospital center. Peña Núñez emphasized that, before seeking individual culprits, it is imperative to conduct an exhaustive investigation that allows for identifying operational weaknesses and applying the necessary corrections to prevent these events from recurring.
Something went wrong, something went wrong. So, that failure must be corrected. Here, what needs to be corrected, no one should be canceled.
Luis Peña Núñez, president of the CMD
Focus on solutions and sanitary controls
The doctors’ representative pointed out that, although hospital-acquired infections can originate from external factors or patients admitted with infectious conditions, the frequency recorded in this case is alarming. According to their statements, although the authorities have limited the number of deaths linked to these microorganisms to three cases, the goal of the health system should be to achieve a zero-incidence rate.
Given this scenario, the proposals of the Dominican Medical College focus on the following points:
- Strictly reinforce health controls in all neonatal care areas.
- Train and guide medical and nursing staff on infection prevention protocols.
- Prioritize the restructuring of internal processes over labor sanctions against lower-ranking staff.
Peña Núñez clarified that, although the CMD has not received a formal invitation to join the investigative commission, the union maintains a constant presence at the hospital through its delegates, who are authorized to collaborate in internal quality improvement processes.
Measures adopted by the authorities
For its part, the National Health Service (SNS) has confirmed that it maintains strict epidemiological monitoring in neonatal units. To address the crisis, an inter-institutional technical commission has been established, tasked with reinforcing prevention standards.
Official SNS data indicate that, during the period between August 1 and 24, 17 neonatal deaths were reported at the center. Of this total, it has been confirmed that three cases correspond to extremely premature patients in whom the presence of the multidrug-resistant microorganisms under study was isolated.
