IMSS orders audit of infant deaths in Guadalajara — Mexico News Daily
The Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS) has ordered an independent clinical audit following the deaths of newborns in the intensive care unit of the Western National Medical Center in Guadalajara, Jalisco. At least eight infants have died there since March, while the number of cases may reach 18.
As Mexico News Daily reports, IMSS Director General Zoé Robledo said the review is not intended to blame medical staff. He called establishing the truth, supporting families and preventing similar cases in the future its priority.
Infections and case review
At least eight deaths in Guadalajara have been linked to hospital-acquired infections involving the bacterium Klebsiella pneumoniae and the fungus Candida albicans. Robledo noted that a direct link between the identified infections and the deaths has yet to be established.
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The audit is being conducted by a committee of neonatologists, infectious disease specialists and epidemiologists. They will analyze each case separately to determine the circumstances of the deaths. The results will first be reported to the families, and if errors or responsibility are identified, IMSS will take action regardless of the level at which they are established.
Investigations in Jalisco and Durango
The clinical review is taking place separately from complaints filed by relatives of some of the infants with Mexico's Attorney General's Office. Forensic examinations, including autopsies, are ongoing to establish legal responsibility.
In the city of Durango, five newborns died last month in the intensive care unit of General Zone Hospital No. 1. Health authorities confirmed that four of them, who died between September 15 and 19, tested positive for Klebsiella pneumoniae. Following protests by families, IMSS dismissed its delegate in Durango state, and the neonatal ward was temporarily closed. In Guadalajara, the hospital director and the head of the neonatal department were temporarily removed from their posts.
