A Foyle MLA is backing a Derry family’s call for a public inquiry into the recent outbreaks of Pseudomonas.
Caoimhe Campbell and Gavin Burke’s son Caolan was 10 days-old when he died in Altnagelvin Hospital in the city last month.
The Health Minister Edwin Poots told them he was sorry for what happened but ruled out a public inquiry.
The SDLP’s Mark H Durkan says the family needs to find out the truth of what happened.
The couple acknowledge their son, who was born 15 weeks prematurely, was very seriously ill, but they said he was showing signs of improving before his death on December 14.
Weeks later, three babies died from a different strain of the bacterium in Belfast.
Mr Durkan says he suspects the minister’s decision had been made on grounds of cost.
He said: “I would very much like to hear a full list of reasons behind this decision not to hold an inquiry. Not properly investigating this outbreak must lead to one question – what cost a baby’s life?
“The public want to know – and parents need to know – what happened to these babies who so tragically lost their lives to what should be a preventable disease.
“While the families affected will never get closure, it is vitally important that they get comfort – comfort that all was done that could be done and the public must be assured that this cannot happen again.
“The cost of any inquiry must surely be outweighed by the need for a public acknowledgement of any failings in our hospitals and both assurances and action plans to combat any recurrence.”
Last week, Caoimhe Campbell said: “We want a public inquiry into this because it’ll get at the truth.”
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