THERE is a growing online movement for the minister of health’s resignation, following his comments in Parliament on Tuesday that the 19 premature babies who have died in two of the island’s major public hospitals due to a bacterial infection are “not babies in the real sense”.
Using a variety of hashtags including: #PreemiesAreGifts, #FentonMustGo, #FireFenton, #AllBabiesMatter, AllBabiesDeserveAFightingChance, a Facebook community called Island Mom Group has been urging parents of premature babies to post their photos with signboards bearing the message that all babies, premature or not, matter.
“We moms and dads are saddened. We are hurt. We are angry and most of all WE ARE FED UP! It’s time to take a stand, this is just the tip of the iceberg with the issues with our ‘leaders’ and when you belittle our children, our love that we carried in our wombs and hearts, well that’s the last straw! So join us in making a difference! Let’s light that spark! #FireFenton #AllBabiesMatter #IslandMomsUnite #StandUpJamaica,” the invitation reads.
In response
“This is my preemie WINNING FIRST PLACE IN HIS CLASS,” reads one post by Stand Up Jamaica, which was followed by a photo of a boy who looks like he could be 12 years old.
Nina Chang-Harding posted: “I watched my goddaughter who is now nine years old battle to survive after being born in November when she was due in February and she is a remarkable young miss; and my two-year-old nephew too, and I must tell you “they are real; they do exist”.
To accompany her photo, Kerry-Ann Dwyer Reid posted: “I’m taking a stand. Change has to start with us.”
Health Minister Dr Fenton Ferguson made the comment in reference to reports about the bacterial outbreak at Cornwall Regional Hospital and the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI) which has claimed 19 prematurely born babies over a five-month period.
It has created a firestorm in traditional and social media outlets and raised fresh concerns about the apparent double standard in respect to a woman opting to terminate her pregnancy before 13 weeks of gestation.
“Most disgusting and outrageous comment I have ever heard made by a public official. The lack of accountability in this country is our number ONE problem and this is the “real” result. Well enough is enough, this man needs to go,” Nick Deane wrote.
Rodesia Wright-Fox posted: “As a mother of a preemie I was highly offended #allbabieslivesmatter #preemiesmatter.”
Another post, under the name Camille Carter, raised the abortion subject.
“Isn’t it ironic that these preemies born before seven months gestation weren’t “babies in the real sense” but if woman in Jamaica is pregnant and opts for an abortion she is murdering “the baby”… Ahhhh I get it…when the system fails they aren’t babies in the real sense but when a woman makes her own reproductive choices she “kill her baby”. Gotcha,” it said.
In a statement released Wednesday night, the minister apologised for the apparent misspeak, saying as a father himself, he couldn’t imgaine losing a child.
“I would never disregard the life of any human being,” he said. “I simply wanted to convey that premature babies are more susceptible to infections”.
“I am before you not only as the minister of health but also a father who couldn’t begin to imagine losing my child. And my niece Shelema was born premature so I personally understand. I want to express my sympathies to the families affected and apologise to them and all Jamaicans”, the minister said.
According to some comments on the Jamaica Observer’s online story and posts on social media, the apology is “too little, too late”.
“I don’t believe a word from this man, he meant what he said, and although I personally have no political axe to grind, I really believe this man should be fired with immediate effect, and them some,” Richard Edwards posted on the site.
Listen i’m willing to protest n March till thy Kingdom come fi fenton fi go but it’s an exercise in futility!! All u need to do is look at Porsha’s mindset…when Riverton fire shut down half a di country n even pnp ppl said yes fire her fambliy Jennifer,what was her responce??She said Jennifer never light nuh fire so she not to blame,so I guess fenton never personally kill di babies so him not to blame.Further more his lack of action was justified cuz they weren’t REALLY babies so no need to act!! Full tim we stop say God save the queen n start beg fi GOD save Jamaica!!!
you going to march??? did you see any of those 19 mothers complaining besides the one who was interviewed. be careful, jamaica is a very politicized country and nothing is done without politics behind it. i take it that those 18, 19 babymothers are well pnp so they wouldn’t be willing to come forward and march as the only thing that matters to pnp supporters are pnp themselves.
clearly all babies don’t matter as the minister along with his personnel though=t they were all unplanned pregnancies so it didn’t matter.
Such an ignorant thing to say. Das y dem say a little knowledge is worse than no knowledge. Maybe he was trying to say legally they r not considered humans with a right to life ? But once expelled from the mother they have those rights. Plus any idiot know a premie is very much a tiny lil person with personality and all. Such a callous statement, if he thinks babies are disposable he shouldn’t be in charge of anybody.