Samples from Corentyne siblings sent to GPHC lab for additional tests

Samples from Corentyne siblings sent to GPHC lab for additional tests – Health Minister

Apr 21, 2024 News

…initial tests point to dengue related complications

Kaieteur News – Samples from the Corentyne siblings who died this week have been sent to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation’s (GPHC) laboratory to be tested. The tests are being done to determine their cause of death.

Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony

The Ministry of Health launched an investigation into the deaths of 9-year-old Arianna and Ricardo Mahabir after reports surfaced in the media on Wednesday.

Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony in a brief interview with Kaieteur News on Friday said that while initial investigations determined that the children died from dengue related complications, and a subsequent post-mortem examination was done, a decision was taken to explore other diagnoses.

“At the time when I spoke around 12, that (dengue related complications) was the diagnosis we were working with. However, the government pathologist did a post-mortem and they are exploring other diagnosis,” Dr. Anthony said.

The minister said that the results are expected back this week.

On Thursday, the Ministry of Health in a press release said that it has engaged the relevant authorities and “both cases are presently being investigated”.

“A post-mortem has been conducted on the first child and another post-mortem will be conducted on the second child,” the ministry said while noting that “the management and staff of the New Amsterdam Regional Hospital are deeply saddened by the death” of the children.

The Ministry said that Arianna was admitted on Monday, April 15, 2024, in critical condition.

“While preparations were being made to transfer the patient to the GPHC, the child suffered a cardiac arrest and died in the Intensive Care Unit,” the press release said.

Further, the ministry said that prior to Arianna’s admission, her 9-year-old brother Ricardo Mahabir was taken to the hospital on Sunday, April 14, 2024 “with no sign of life”.

The Ministry said too that it “has instructed that an expert group be dispatched to the New Amsterdam Hospital to further investigate the circumstances surrounding the deaths of the two children.”

children, Corentyne, death, Health, siblings

Latest News