Questions are being raised on the security measures and risk mitigation plans in place after a person walked off with a new born baby from the CWM Hospital last week.
fijivillage News has asked Permanent Secretary for Health, Doctor James Fong how did this happen and how was the person identified.
We have also asked if there are surveillance cameras and other security procedures in place to ensure people do not walk away or steal another person’s baby.
Doctor Fong says he would rather see the full investigation report on the incident and how a person could walk out with a baby without alarm being sounded as they walked out.
He says it is possible that some more targeted stringent measures need to be put in place based on the investigation.
Doctor Fong is expecting preliminary findings from his team tomorrow.
There was no attempt by Police to traditionally reconcile the report regarding baby taken from CWM Hospital - ACP Raikaci
Police have clarified that there was no attempt by their officers to reconcile a report where a newborn baby was taken from the Colonial War Memorial Hospital last week.
This is regarding the information circulating on social media alleging police officers had sought to traditionally reconcile the report.
Assistant Commissioner of Police Crime (ACP/C) Sakeo Raikaci says a report of the incident was initially received at the Totogo Police Station whereby officers were deployed.
He says that the initial information gathered was that the mother had left her baby with a medical official and a person known to the family, who was visiting, to take care of some personal matters nearby.
ACP/C Raikaci says when she returned, she found her baby and visitor missing and assumed that her child was taken by the medical official for a check-up.
He says after a while, she asked around for her baby and discovered that her child was no longer on hospital premises.
ACP/C Raikaci adds she suspected the family friend of taking her child and officers were deployed to the suspect's home where they found her baby.
He stresses that there was no attempt by officers to reconcile the matter as they were acting on the wishes of the family who did not wish to pursue the matter at that particular time, considering her health status and the traumatic experience she had just gone through.
He further says that CID officers from Totogo liaised with the family again, where they were advised that they are now ready to pursue the matter further.
ACP/C Raikaci says the CID officers are with the family recording their statements in relation to the incident.
Investigations are ongoing.
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