Winnipeg health officials are pointing the finger at a local hospital after a Nunavut family learned that the hospital mixed up the bodies of their newborn son and another baby.
The mix-up happened after the baby’s death at Winnipeg’s St. Boniface Hospital in April. The hospital sent a body to parents Tony Alagalak and Alice Kinak in Arviat, Nunavut, where they held a funeral. It was weeks later, in May, that three hospital officials arrived to explain that the family had been given the wrong baby’s body.
It’s still not clear how the mistake happened. Officials with St. Boniface have declined to comment. Alagalak said he was told they’re still looking into the case.
“They apologized,” Alagalak said. “But I know somebody made a mistake there.”
Alagalak doesn’t know who the other family is.
The Winnipeg Regional Health Authority (WRHA) expressed sympathy but noted each hospital is responsible for its own morgue processes.
“The process for transfer of remains from hospital to families is a responsibility held by each individual hospital,” said Krista Williams, chief health operations officer for the health authority, in a statement. She said St. Boniface is investigating.
‘My government failed me’
Alagalak says too many infants die in Nunavut, and he wants to see changes to the health-care system in Arviat and the rest of the territory.
“I really think my government failed me,” he said. “There should be someone here at all times for emergencies like that.”
CBC News is seeking comment from both Nunavut’s health department and Manitoba’s health minister.
Mark O’Rourke, with Manitoba’s Chief Medical Examiner’s office, said all children’s deaths are reported to the office, which looks at the cause of death.
He said the death of Alagalak and Kinak’s son was reviewed and did not require further investigation, so the body was released back to the doctor.
The Manitoba Nurses Union said it is investigating the case, however it declined to comment further out of respect for the family and patient confidentiality.