BRUNO Pouezat, the United Nations Development Programme’s resident coordinator in Jamaica, will await the findings of an investigation in the death of 19 babies at the University Hospital of the West Indies and Cornwall Regional Hospital before commenting further on the matter.

The incident offers implications for the ability of the country to attain developed nation status by 2030. This date also coincides with the UN’s global sustainable development goals (SDG) deadline.

“My understanding is that, at the request of the Government, the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) has taken up the investigation to collect and help the Government come up with a diagnosis of what happened. On this basis measures will be taken by the national authorities. Pending results of the investigation there is nothing more I can say,” Pouezat stated in response to a Jamaica Observer query on its impact to attain reduced maternal deaths.

PAHO is the regional arm of the World Health Organisation.

In late September, Pouezat reportedly indicated at a forum in Kingston that the island should strive to improve its maternal health indices, despite progress in other areas.

The UN representative had hosted a cluster meeting for the Caribbean National Commissions for UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) entitled ‘The Caribbean in Action for Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs’.

Other panellists in that session included Everton Hannam, secretary-general for Jamaica National Commission for UNESCO; Antonio Maynard of St Kitts & Nevis; and Katherine Grigsby, director and representative for UNESCO.

Apart from Pouezat, the other panellists declined when asked to comment on the death of the babies and the likely impact on Jamaica’s ability to reduce maternal deaths.

In the meantime, at least three PAHO representatives will be assisting the Ministry of Health in wake of the bacteria outbreak that led to the deaths of the 19 babies of the 42 reported infected at the University Hospital of the West Indies and Cornwall Regional Hospital.

The UN’s 17 SDGs replace the eight previous Millennium Development Goals (MGDs) adapted from the United Nations Millennium Declaration 15 years ago. The MGDs include the eradication of extreme poverty and hunger, achieving universal primary education, promoting gender equality and empowering women, amongst others.