The tragic circumstances under which a young nurse, Tracy John Lewis of Silver Lake, and her baby lost their lives have prompted the women’s rights organization, RosieSparks Women – Dominica, to demand accountability from the Dominican authorities.
Ms. Lewis, a baby nurse and hair artist, died at the Dominica China Friendship Hospital on Saturday the 20th of April, after losing her unborn child.
“Silver Lake’s silver lining turned black with mourning” Rosie Felix, the leader of Roses Parks Dominica opined when describing the tragic situation in a video statement.
Quoting the World Health Organization (WHO), Felix pointed out that health system failures often result in poor quality of care, including disrespect, mistreatment, and abuse. She said these failures can be attributed to inadequately trained health workers, shortages of essential medical supplies, and a lack of accountability from health system authorities.
“The Pan American Health Organization reports that socioeconomic status, ethnicity, education, age, and place of residence can all increase the risk of a woman dying during pregnancy, childbirth, or the postpartum period,” Felix stated. “It further states that nine out of ten maternal deaths are preventable with timely access to evidence-based maternal care.”
Felix, a registered and licensed midwife in Dominica, founder of RosieSparks Women – Dominica, founder of the Association of Dominica Midwives Inc, and former president of the Dominica Nurses Association contends that Ms. Lewis’s death was preventable.
“In the past several months, Dominicans here and abroad have lamented the fact that Dominica is in that place where our health system has failed,” she declared.
With a sense of urgency, Roses Parks Women Dominica is calling for a root cause analysis of the deaths of Nurse Jno Lewis and her baby.
The organization is urging the Hospital Board Authority and the Ministry of Health to step up and “redeem itself” and provide quality maternal and general health care to the people of Dominica.
The group is demanding an account of why 27-year-old Nurse Tracy John Lewis and her family, in their opinion, did not receive quality care and respectful treatment at the Dominica China Friendship Hospital, leading according to the group, to her death and that of her baby on Saturday, 20th April 2024.
“Rest in peace is simply not enough. Neither will be the meeting of all funeral expenses. Tracy deserved better. Her family deserves better. Childbearing women and their families deserve better,” Felix insisted. “Dominica deserves better health care. Dominica deserves quality health care,”
The organization concluded its statement with a powerful call to action: “Step up or step down.”
Meanwhile, amid the heightened public interest and numerous comments and concerns raised in the public domain, the Dominica Hospitals Authority (DHA) has announced on Tuesday that it would undertake a comprehensive review of the circumstances surrounding the care given to the deceased Tracy Jno Lewis.
“The DHA has extended its deepest condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of the deceased nurse, acknowledging the difficult time for all those impacted, a release from the Authority stated.
It said that on April 20th, 2024, the Minister for Health, Wellness and Social Services, along with the Senior Management of the Hospital, were present at the hospital to support the team members, the bereaved family, and other associates of the late colleague.
The statement continued, “While the DHA has stated that many of the public comments provide an inaccurate account of the events, it remains committed to transparency and accountability. An external team of professionals will be appointed by the Board of Directors of the DHA to conduct an impartial fact-finding review of the nurse’s care at the facility.”
It added that the DHA takes all reports seriously and its priority is to uphold the highest standards of care and integrity within its hospitals.
Training Training Training. We expect so much from a system that is strained and stretched to the limit. How can this tragedy or multiple breakdown in failures be prevented.? Having the right equipment and staff with a keen sense of deteriorating or hemodynamic compromise is vital .
Lady go continue ring your BELL.
Tracy was both beautiful inside and outside. What a loss to Silver Lake and the entire country! The country has lost the most dedicated nurse and possibly Silver Lake’s first medical doctor (unborn baby).
Our hearts are collectively broken for this preventable death. This is not the first nor second death of a young lady, in recent times, at this hospital.
If the problems we have this year are the same problems we have had for multiple years, we know we have no leader. Roosevelt MUST GO!
Hello, have you all considered the vaccine injury?
Read what happened to all those who took the vaccine.
The conspirators (anti-vaxers) said so. Remember both baby and mother died. Research research and read what was said. We are seeing all those things said by the conspirators so true. All the sudden deaths. The increase in turbo cancers in the vaccinated – mostly affects the young ones whose immune systems are not tip-top. Coupled with the chemical-infected processed tin stuff, foods, etc.
it is so sad that Tracy had to die. Why did you people force her to take the vaccine? the vaccine to kill out the population because it is too high. Also don’t forget our great doctor who succumbed to the very thing she spoke about.
I cannot find words to say to the young man who lost both – her mother Shirley and her other close family. What a tragedy!
Ibo, Nurse Rosie Felix be truthful! Stop the politicking – against Roosevelt Skerrit. Rosie, you said some truth but talk…
Stop your ad hominem attacks on Rosie. She is a true patriot. Direct your anger and disapproval at the buffoonish dictator who has most of the population living on the circumference of ultra poverty.
@Anti-vaxer conspirator – Remember is the same Skerrit that make Dominicans take that vaccine that killing half the population. You think he don’t know what he do? Set of wicked people we have calling black leaders, doing us pure mashastay for their white masters!
RIP to the nurse and her baby
Everybody know Rosie Felix is a blue political puppet,who is always always on a blue platform supporting UWP.The family of the young lady should stop Rosie and Q95 from making her death a political football.Would I be wrong if I say supporters of UWP employed at the hospital are not doing jobs?It is a do nothing mentality introduced in public service by UWP.We know and have known for a long time that UWP use those sad situations when people are hurting to play politics.Rosie has resurrected.Those people like Rosie and her Rosie Parks women Dominica are heartless.Step up or step down,that is the politics in it.Step down for who?Your party put a hospital user fee on the backs of Dominicans a number of people DIED because of that,especially the Kalinago people.Rosie Sparks was not born when the hospital user fee was put in place by UWP.
@Lin Clown
Garbage as always. You have become more foolish and embarrassing since you change from being a clown to a labour power.
Absolute garbage from a real clown.
Lin Clown, new name (Labour power) same old nonsense. You can easily change your name but your brain remains like stagnant, brackish, toxic water.
The death of this young, sweet, adorable, affable, caring, young, hardworking community caregiver, Tracy John Lewis, can be attributed to the shortage of personnel, lifesaving equipment, and to the indifference of the staff.
Dominicans are known to have a nine day attention span. I hope the family of Tracy and those who believe in justice, would pursue this most unfortunate incident until the unvarnished truth is ascertained.
JUSTICE FOR OUR BELOVED TRACY -Nothing less!
The health care system will continue to fail until the root cause for all it’s inefficiencies is addressed. The problem exists not because of a lack of personnel but rather because of inadequate funding of the hospital system. Simply put, it is high time that patients start paying for a portion of the goods and services administered at the hospital. This will ensure that drugs, a critical component for care are readily available at the hospital. It takes money to run things and without it, the hospital system will continue to provide mediocre service.
A small fraction from the missing $billions from the CBI scheme will suffice. Money is readily available for the mammoth government delegation that travelled to China recently. There is money also accessible for frequent outings to distant countries by ministers; for lavish fetes, festivals and concerts; for Roosevelt’s four year stay at the palace($3 072 000) and counting.
Money is no problem. The problem are lack of: foresight, compassion, empathy. Corruption, mismanagement, neglect and dereliction of duty are also factors.
You have demonstrated the lack of foresight by your response. CBI is not a sustainable solution. You have a near sightedness approach as opposed to my suggestion of finding a permanent fix. I’m sure glad you’re not charged with finding a solution.