SNS ensures that the country’s neonatal units are operating under control
The executive director of the National Health Service (SNS), Julio César Landrón, reported this Friday that the situation in neonatal units nationwide is under control. As part of a transparency strategy, the official announced that next week tours will be conducted with the media to verify firsthand the operation and progress achieved in these hospital centers.
Next week we will be inviting the media to each of these different neonatal wards in our country so that they can see directly how we have progressed and how we have carried out this entire process. We want them to know the reality from the specialists themselves, not the distorted version that has circulated, but the reality of the services.
Julio César Landrón, Executive Director of the SNS
Crisis management at the Nuestra Señora de La Altagracia Maternity Hospital
These statements arise in response to recent questions regarding safety at the Nuestra Señora de La Altagracia Maternity Hospital, where the SNS is maintaining active epidemiological surveillance following the detection of an increase in infections by multidrug-resistant microorganisms in its Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU).
According to the official data provided by the institution, the report for the period between August 1 and 24 details the following figures:
- Total live births: 266.
- Admissions to neonatal intensive care: 90.
- Registered deaths: 17.
Regarding the deaths, the authorities specified that only in three cases was the isolation of microorganisms confirmed in patients with extreme prematurity. In the remaining 14 deaths, no presence of infectious agents was detected, with the deaths being attributed to highly complex health conditions, such as congenital anomalies, pulmonary hypertension, and complications derived from extreme prematurity.
Preventive actions and supervision
To ensure patient safety, the SNS has formed an inter-institutional technical commission, led by Landrón, with the objective of rigorously supervising health protocols. This team is responsible for reinforcing prevention and control measures, as well as constantly evaluating the performance of critical units throughout the Dominican territory.
