-had a known history of asthma, Health Ministry says

THE following is the full statement issued by the Ministry of Health regarding the death of Ronicia Niles last Friday:

“The Ministry of Health extends its deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of Ms Ronicia Niles, a 22-year-old woman with a known history of asthma, who tragically passed away following a medical emergency.

“Ms Niles [was] presented to the Accident and Emergency Unit of the Diamond Regional Hospital at approximately 11:50 p.m., with complaints of severe difficulty breathing that began earlier that day. While being triaged, she became unresponsive. Emergency medical personnel immediately initiated resuscitative measures, including cardiac monitoring, oxygen therapy using bag-valve-mask ventilation and the establishment of intravenous access.

“At the time of her arrival, Ms Niles was in critical condition. Her oxygen saturation on room air was severely low at 32 per cent (normal levels are typically above 95 per cent). She was also significantly impaired in consciousness, registering a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score of six out of 15, indicating a severe neurological compromise.

“Despite the team’s efforts, the patient experienced cardiac arrest during treatment. She was successfully intubated, and her condition was stabilised to the extent possible. Given the severity of her clinical state, arrangements were made for urgent transfer to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) for continued intensive care. Her vital signs were closely monitored throughout, and GPHC was promptly informed to ensure readiness for her arrival. The patient’s family was kept informed at every stage.

“The ministry remains committed to providing the highest standard of emergency care and expresses its heartfelt sympathy to all affected by this loss.