Two senior nurses who were on duty at the time could also face disciplinary action, but The Sunday Gleaner has been told that legal counsel is being sought as how to deal with them.

The Sunday Gleaner understands that the nurse, whose name is being withheld, was suspended following a disciplinary hearing at the Nursing Council of Jamaica (NCJ) two Wednesdays ago.

The nurse, who was reportedly traumatised by the death of the child, is also receiving counselling.

Sources disclosed that the premature baby was being kept on a respirator in the hospital nursery.

At one point, the child's body temperature began to fall. It is alleged that the nurses used a microwave oven to heat bags containing intravenous fluid. These were then wrapped in towels and blankets before the child was placed on top of them.

It is further alleged that at least one of the bags burst and the hot content burnt the child, resulting in its death.

heating bags of IV fluid

The Sunday Gleaner understands that the practice of heating bags of IV fluid and wrapping them in cloth or towels has become common, due to the limited number of functioning warmers at some hospitals.

An incubator, which would have provided the ideal environment for the premature child, was not working.

In fact, the sources say only two incubators were functional at the time of the incident, with 22 children in the ward.

When contacted, chief executive officer of the May Pen Hospital, Nadine Nunez-Howe, was terse.

"I cannot speak on that matter and, to be honest, I don't know why it is that you have information on this matter," she said.

Tight-lipped

"That matter is not up for public discussion," Nunez-Howe added.

She later said the matter was still under investigation and she could not comment.

The NCJ has been equally tight-lipped. Initially, the council's registrar, Karlene Wan, said it would reserve its comment until it received instruction from its lawyers.

After more than one week, assistant registrar, Merl Riley, told The Sunday Gleaner that the NCJ was still awaiting instruction from its lawyers as well as its chairman, Pearliene Cooper-Sharpe.

Minister of Health Rudyard Spencer and Chief Medical Officer Dr Sheila Campbell Forrester were unavailable to comment on the case last week as they were attending a conference in Montego Bay, St James.

'The practice of heating bags of IV fluid and wrapping them in cloth or towels has become common due to the limited number of functioning warmers at some hospitals.'