Minister for Health James Reilly rejects calls for a HIQA review into the death of Bimbo Onanuga

AIMS Ireland last week welcomed the verdict of medical misadventure in the Coroner's Court following the inquest into the death of Bimbo Onanuga in the Rotunda in March 2010.

Bimbo Onanuga died following a medical induction with Misoprostol/Cytotec 29+ weeks into her pregnancy due to the intrauterine death of her baby. Eyewitness accounts describe a catalogue of errors and failures to provide basic care to Bimbo that day.

Following the coroner's verdict, supporters (academics, medical professionals, oganizations and friends) of Bimbo Onanuga, including AIMS Ireland, called for a HIQA review into the failures of basic care and treatment Ms Onanuga received in the Rotunda Hospital in March 2010.

AIMS Ireland reported that there were "Echoes of both Savita and Tania McCabe once again at inquest of Bimbo Onanuga today..." More: http://nocountryforpregnantwomen.blogspot.ie/2013/11/a-matter-of-public-interest-aimsi-calls.html

A HIQA review would be in line with actions taken by the Minister following the death of Savita Halappanavar.

A PQ (Parliamentary Question) was put into the Dáil to the Minister for Health, James Reilly by Deputy Clare Daly.

The Minister has rejected calls for a HIQA review - denying an investigation into the systematic failures of care and treatment Bimbo Onanuga received in the Rotunda Hospital in Dublin.

AIMS Ireland is extremely concerned by the lack of accountability and continued significant efforts to hide the circumstances of Bimbo’s death.

It is astonishing that  given the similarities of failures on record, the Minister has chosen to act, calling for an independent HIQA review into one woman's death, while refusing the other.

The PQ and Reply:

QUESTION NO:  22

DÁIL QUESTION addressed to the Minister for Health (Dr. James Reilly)
by Deputy Clare Daly
for ORAL ANSWER on 13/11/2013  

 
 To ask the Minister for Health if he will order a Health Information and Quality Authority investigation into the circumstances of the care of a person (details supplied) in line with the HIQA investigation into the death of Savita Halappanavar.

                                                                                         Clare Daly T.D.

Details Supplied: An inquest into the death of Ms Bimbo Onanuga concluded on 5 November with a coroner’s verdict of medical misadventure. In the course of treatment in the Rotunda Hospital on 4 March 2010, Ms Onanuga suffered a catastrophic incident and was transferred later that day to the Mater Hospital where she died. The details of her case as laid out in the Coroner’s Court raise fundamental issues about her care and treatment. Will the Minister order a HIQA investigation into the circumstances of Ms Onanuga’s care, in line with the HIQA investigation into the death of Savita Halappanavar.?

 
REPLY.
I would like in the first instance to offer my sympathies to the family involved in this very unfortunate case.

I have been advised that the circumstances surrounding this patient's death were investigated by the HSE under the National Incident Protocol following which 11 actions were recommended.  I have been informed by the HSE that the Rotunda Hospital has now implemented all 11 recommendations.  

I am advised by my Department's Chief Medical Officer that it is not necessary nor is it appropriate for me to request the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) to undertake investigations in a case such as this which has been adequately investigated under the HSE's incident management procedures.  

It is important to state that maternal and peri-natal health statistics indicate that Ireland continues to be a very safe country for a woman to give birth and our safety record compares favourably with other developed countries.