Health Minister Dr Fuad Khan says a team of experts to probe the death of the baby during a C-section surgery will be established by Monday. Speaking to reporters after the launch of a certification programme for drug and violence prevention yesterday, Khan said the team would be formed after discussions with Attorney General Anand Ramlogan. “Being a doctor, with doctors involved, sometimes it is wise to get an independent person to assist,” Khan said. He denied there was any conflict of interest.
“I am trying to get somebody from abroad, and that might take a little while. I need to get consent from the people I am asking,” he said. Khan described four roles that would need to be filled on the probe team:
• Obstetrician and gynaecologist.
• International specialist in foetal medicine.
• A member of the legal profession.
• An official from the Ministry of Health.
He said the composition of the team was still under discussion. Asked if there were stronger disciplinary measures than revoking licences against doctors found to be negligent, Khan said it was a very serious thing for someone to lose their licence. “What could be a stronger disciplinary measure than losing your licence? These people would have spent about 15 years trying to become who they are.”
In a previous interview, Khan said once the team had been set up, it would take two to three weeks to complete investigations into the incident which resulted in the baby’s death.