Inmates deaths still puzzle MOH

THE MINISTRY of Health (MOH) has still not established what caused the illness and subsequent deaths of four inmates from the Hunts Bay police station over the last seven weeks.

Acting Chief Medical Officer (CMO) in the Ministry of Health, Dr. Deanna Ashley, said yesterday that she was still awaiting results from a post mortem examination on the last inmate and from investigations carried out at the lock up, located in Three Miles, Kingston.

Last Friday, she had said health officials may have some answers as to what killed the four men by the end of this week but yesterday explained that there is no guarantee on the length of time it would take to have "something we can make sense of".

Brenton Williams, 35 of 72 Mannings Hill Road; Hopeton Brissett, 34, of 27 Alexander Road, Kingston 13; and Bruce Taylor, 23 of St. Joseph Road, died in hospital between July 6 and 13, after complaining of being ill but their autopsy reports came back inconclusive.

The fourth, Kevin Hewitt, died in the Kingston Public Hospital (KPH) on August 8, 2001 after complaining that he was not feeling well. His death sparked a demonstration at the station by residents of Cresent Road, Kingston 13, where he used to live.

Following his death, a team of doctors from the Ministry of Health, the South East Regional Health authority and the Public Health department visited Hunts Bay to carry out preliminary investigation into conditions at the crowded lock-up. The facility was revisited last weekend and three possible causes have been outlined :a) food poisoning, b)other poisoning and c) environmental conditions.

The Ministry of National Security and Justice is also trying to aid the Health Ministry in its investigations by lessening the load of prisoners in the crowded lock ups at the Hunts Bay police station.

Meanwhile, Dr. Ashley said that there was no evidence at the moment to link the deaths to the illness of another inmate, Christopher Dixon, who was also reportedly brought from Hunts Bay to the KPH, after complaining of feeling ill. "Based on what we have seen so far, we don't think he's similar to the ones who died. At this point in time, we don't think it's related."

Mr. Dixon's consulting physician, Dr. Nadine Williams, could not be reached yesterday but another doctor told The Gleaner that while Mr. Dixon had complained of similar symptoms such as fainting, vomiting and diarrhoea, these were not evident during his stay at the hospital. He was, however, given medication for asthma, the doctor said.

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