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Father of baby blood poisoning victim speaks at pre-inquest hearing Father of baby blood poisoning victim speaks at pre-inquest hearing
(about 1 hour later)
The father of a nine-day-old baby, who died after developing septicaemia from infected liquid feed, told a pre-inquest hearing that he wanted no more babies to suffer or die as his son did. The father of a nine-day-old baby who died after developing septicaemia from infected liquid feed, has told a pre-inquest hearing that he wanted no more babies to suffer or die as his son did.
Yousef Al-Kharboush died in the intensive care neonatal unit of St Thomas' hospital in London on Sunday, one of 21 babies to develop blood poisoning from the product, which is delivered straight into the bloodstream via a drip and was contaminated with the bacterium Bacillus cereus. Yousef al-Kharboush died in the intensive care neonatal unit of St Thomas' hospital in London on Sunday, one of 21 babies to develop blood poisoning from the product, delivered straight into the bloodstream via a drip, which was contaminated with the bacterium Bacillus cereus.
Health officials on Friday identified three new cases of babies who became unwell last week or over the weekend. They, along with the others, all premature or sickly newborns who were spread among nine different hospitals, are said to be responding to antibiotic treatment. On Friday, health officials identified three new cases of babies who became unwell last week or over the weekend. They, along with the others, all premature or sickly newborns who were spread among 10 different hospitals, are said to be responding to antibiotic treatment.
Southwark coroner, Dr Andrew Harris, who is treating the death of Yousef, from London Bridge, central London, as "unnatural", invited the baby's parents and representatives from Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust and the feed manufacturer ITH Pharma to a pre-inquest hearing. The Southwark coroner, Dr Andrew Harris, is treating the death of Yousef, from Southwark in London, as unnatural. He invited the baby's parents and representatives from Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust and the feed manufacturer ITH Pharma to a pre-inquest hearing.
Speaking at the review, Yousef's father, Raaid Hassan Sakkijha, said: "My son has just died. I don't want more children to. If you looked at Yousef, he was dying because of this product. He was suffering. He died because of this."Speaking at the review, Yousef's father, Raaid Hassan Sakkijha, said: "My son has just died. I don't want more children to. If you looked at Yousef, he was dying because of this product. He was suffering. He died because of this."
Sakkijha told the coroner he was concerned about any possible long-term health impact on other babies who survived. "How do we know this solution will not have an effect at a later stage, in one or two years?" he asked. "How can we guarantee this will not happen?" Sakkijha told the coroner he was concerned about any possible long-term health impact on other babies. "How do we know this solution will not have an effect at a later stage, in one or two years?" he asked. "How can we guarantee this will not happen?"
Yousef was a twin. The family has two older children, aged 10 and seven, who were distressed when they heard of the death of one of the babies. Yousef was a twin. The family has two older children, aged 10 and seven.
"They cried at the beginning but, you know children, they forget," Sakkijha said outside court. "They were planning to distribute the children, one for you and one for me. They lost one and they were crying all day. Everyone who has a child will understand what a father feels like in a case like this, with suffering before your eyes. This is what life is all about. We accept it the way it is." "They cried at the beginning but, you know children, they forget," Sakkijha said outside court. "Everyone who has a child will understand what a father feels like in a case like this, with suffering before your eyes. This is what life is all about. We accept it the way it is."
He had no criticism of St Thomas' hospital, but he was concerned that ITH Pharma was still making the product, even though inspectors from the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Authority (MHRA) had said there was no further risk. He had no criticism of St Thomas' hospital, but he was concerned that ITH Pharma was still making the product, even though inspectors from the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Authority had said there was no further risk.
He said: "The hospital was very helpful. It was just an unlucky incident. I was hoping to hear this product would be completely stopped from production until they make sure that … no other babies are being contaminated."He said: "The hospital was very helpful. It was just an unlucky incident. I was hoping to hear this product would be completely stopped from production until they make sure that … no other babies are being contaminated."
The meeting was convened to decide whether a postmortem examination is required and what further steps need to be taken, said a statement from the court. All the babies given the infected feed, called parenteral nutrition, were very vulnerable and unable to take nutrition by mouth. The inquest will have to decide whether septicaemia caused by the bacterial infection was responsible for the death, or whether the baby was too poorly to have survived anyway.The meeting was convened to decide whether a postmortem examination is required and what further steps need to be taken, said a statement from the court. All the babies given the infected feed, called parenteral nutrition, were very vulnerable and unable to take nutrition by mouth. The inquest will have to decide whether septicaemia caused by the bacterial infection was responsible for the death, or whether the baby was too poorly to have survived anyway.
The investigation into the incident, which began last Friday when the first baby was reported to have become infected at Chelsea and Westminster hospital in London, continues. Inspectors spent Wednesday at ITH Pharma in north-west London. The investigation into the incident, which began last Friday when the first baby was reported to have been infected at Chelsea and Westminster hospital in London, continues. Inspectors spent Wednesday at ITH Pharma in north-west London.
ITH Pharma managing director, Karen Hamling, said a raw ingredient appeared to have been the cause of the bacterial infection, which was not picked up by any of the bacteria monitors or hygiene processes at the plant. Neither the company nor the MHRA have named the supplier of the ingredient, although they have said it continues to be used. Karen Hamling, ITH Pharma's managing director, said a raw ingredient appeared to have been the cause of the bacterial infection, which was not picked up by any of the bacteria monitors or hygiene processes at the plant. Neither the company nor the MHRA have named the supplier of the ingredient, although they have said it continues to be used.