And while the family sees baby Kimorah as collateral damage in the war between the KHMH administration and its doctors, today both sides are deflecting that blame. Today the KHMH administration held a press conference to say it's not their fault.
Keith Swift Reporting,
This afternoon the Israel Marin led KHMH Authority came out swinging against the hospital's now former neurosurgeons Dr. Giovanni Lara and Joel Cervantes.
Israel Marin, Chairman - KHMH Authority
"If doctors were real doctors with and going by the oath that they signed, they should have been here on Thursday when Baby Leslie was here. They should have been able to tell us that the shunt we had in stock wasn't the appropriate shunt. They should have been here through the whole process. A Minister doesn't have to call the doctor and say, 'please come and do me a favor.' No man."
The KHMH says that a distressed baby Kimorah arrived at the emergency room on Friday for surgery. She never made it out of the hospital alive. At an afternoon press conference, representatives of the KHMH Authority said there is an ongoing investigation into the death of baby Kimorah but board Chairman Israel Marin laid blame squarely at the doorsteps of doctors Lara and Cervantes.
Israel Marin,
"If Dr. Lara was in place when he should have been, if Dr. Cervantes was covering for Dr. Lara when he should have been we wouldn't have had this problem. But because they were not here, because we did not accept the contract that they put in place because we were in the process of doing some things different to be able to continue offering the services, we had this unfortunate situation.
What we are saying is that for the long term benefit of this hospital, we had suspended services because are going to get people that want to work in this hospital under the conditions and under the contracts that we have and that is the reality of what we have here. Yes the child has died and we are going to do an investigation what went wrong but what I am trying to explain to you is that if these doctors were here, doing what they were supposed to do...."[Interruption]
Both Marin and the KHMH's CEO Alvaro Rosado concede that, yes, there wasn't the correct shunt to operate on baby Kimorah on Friday. But they say that isn't the problem. Marin says equipment is one thing but Cervantes had to be fired and Lara suspended because they broke their Hippocratic oath and tried to run roughshod over the KHMH Authority.
Israel Marin,
"On November 28th 2005 it was brought to KHMH's attention that Dr. Cervantes and Lara tried to steer a SSB patient to the private hospitals. They were instructed to see the patient and provide the necessary services at the KHMH. The neuro-surgeons evaluated the patient at the KHMH and he wrote directly to the SSB stating that the necessary surgery couldn't be done here at the KHMH because of lack of equipment and supplies. The neurosurgeons were then instructed to provide KHMH with a list of equipment and supplies needed so that the KHMH could procure these items. Both Cervantes and Lara refused to provide the requested list and as a result Dr. Cervantes was fired and Dr. Lara was suspended without pay. Both were reinstated in their position after presented a list of the items. In December of 2005 copies of receipts were presented to KHMH showing that the neurosurgeons had collected money directly from KHMH patients, in direct violation of KHMH policies.
Dr. Cervantes informed KHMH that he and Dr. Lara formed a private company and would offer neurosurgical services to KHMH on a contractual basis. This proposal was not accepted by the KHMH Authority and Dr. Cervantes was offered an extension of his contract. Dr. Lara proceeded on vacation leave for the period March 13th to April 28th 2006 on condition that Dr. Cervantes would provide the necessary coverage during his vacation leave. On March 31st 2006, Dr. Cervantes reneged on his agreement and refused to provide the necessary coverage. On more than one occasion, Dr. Cervantes and Dr. Lara were called upon to provide coverage as per the coverage agreement but Dr. Lara and Dr. Cervantes refused to assist even in cases where patients' lives were at risk."
Doctor Cervantes of course disagreed.
Dr. Joel Cervantes,
"I think that is false because Baby Kimorah is an unfortunate patient as such, her death is unfortunate. However what they are not stating is that we have done other surgeries in uncomfortable situations, going beyond the materials and equipments we had to save people's lives. So I think its an unfortunate statement whereby they are not willing to accept their responsibility for this part of the problem and it is quite easy to blame the problem on somebody else because this is easier than finding a resolution."
Lilette Barkley-Waite has been on the case since Friday and this evening she minced no words in calling for a couple heads to roll.
Lilette Barkley-Waite, Activist
"Personally I feel that Dr. Lara, his license needs to be revoked and
he should be sent back to Guatemala because he could never do this, refuse to come in and treat a patient, who is his patient. He was the head of the neurosurgeon on the case and he had the gall to refuse to come in and treat this child knowing that it was an emergency situation, also knowing that it was only a two-hour procedure. And that part about not having the correct shunt, I will not buy it because he, Dr. Lara, knows that Friends of Pediatrics normally provides that child with whatever assistance it needs.
And I feel that Dr. Alvaro Rosado also is also responsible because he waited too long. The same way that I could have picked up a phone and called the Minister of Health and had him get involved, if that is what it took, then Dr. Rosado could have done the same thing a week ago and that child again would have been alive. So those two people are responsible, as far as I am concerned. Dr. Alvaro Rosado needs to go and Dr. Lara needs to have his license revoked so that he does not practice medicine here anymore and he can take his trip home to Guatemala."
This afternoon Dr. Giovanni Lara officially resigned as a neurosurgeon at the KHMH. Both Chairman Marin and CEO Rosado today said the board is actively seeking a replacement. As for the investigation, Marin said it should be completed within the next couple of days. And after all this, this evening Dr. Joel Cervantes told us that, if a deal can be worked out, he would return to work at the KHMH.
