Baby's parents speak over hospital gas bungle
The parents of a newborn who was brain damaged in the Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital gas mix-up have spoken out for the first time, saying they'll always be there for her.
Danial and Benish Khan say they were devastated when their daughter Amelia suffered irreversible brain damage when she was given nitrous oxide instead of oxygen after her birth in June.
Amelia suffers frequent seizures, and will require intensive long-term care.
"She will always have to live with the consequences of what was done to her at the hospital," they told the Sydney Morning Herald.
"But we will always be by her side and we'll do everything we can to give her the best possible future."
Another baby, John Ghanem, died in July when he was also given the wrong gas.
"We can only imagine the intense pain this family is going through and our hearts go out to them," the Khans said.
A gas mix-up left one baby dead and another with brain damage. Source: 7News
Law firm Maurice Blackburn is investigating a claim of compensation on behalf of Mr and Mrs Khan.
NSW Health Minister Jillian Skinner has faced torrid questioning over her handling of the gas scandal since it emerged in July.
The series of tragic errors'
A final report found "a series of tragic errors" including incorrect installations of gas pipelines, flawed testings and significant clinical and management failures caused the deadly error.
NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant released the report and said she hoped the report would give the families of the two babies some answers, while conceding she couldn't begin to imagine how they must feel.
The report found that South West Sydney Local Health District, and BOC Ltd which installed the medical gas piping, failed to comply with Australian standards.
It also unearthed broader clinical and governance issues around risk management, communication and lines of accountability.
The Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital. Source: 7News
The theatre at the hospital was closed during the investigation. Source: 7News
Health Minister Jillian Skinner apologised for the "devastating error" and announced a sweeping review of hospital operating theatres commissioned in the past five years. Photo: AAP
The Health Ministry has been directed to further examine the governance issues and take over a disciplinary investigation already under way.
A general manager of the hospital was suspended following investigations, as was an engineer at the hospital earlier in the month.
Further interviews are taking place in relation to the investigation.
Mum’s heartbreak over gas mix-up: ‘They’ve destroyed me’
Heartbroken mother Sonya Ghanem told 7 News she was "feeling very hurt". Photo: 7News
On July 13, Sonya and Youseff Ghanem left hospital without their son, John, to only find out weeks later their newborn died after he and Amelia were part of the hospital bungle.
Sonya Ghanem said she asked to see her son at Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital after delivering a cesarean section but staff told her the little boy didn’t make it.
Grieving father Youseff Ghanem said: “I lost my baby. That’s very hard for me.” Source: 7News
“I’m just feeling very hurt. Very hurt with all of this,” Ms Ghanem said.
“They said ‘Your baby didn’t make it. Your baby had died’.”
The mix up went unnoticed until a paediatrician raised the alarm.
By that time, the two babies had been administered the incorrect gas with disastrous results.
