Hospital blamed for baby’s death
A GRIEVING mother claims she lost her baby due to hospital staff negligence.
Mother-to-be Nolusindiso Chani was admitted at the Port Alfred Hospital on Sunday May 14, and labour was induced the following day, which was the beginning of a painful roller-coaster ride of emotion.
“She requested a caesarean section, as she couldn’t cope any more, and was more concerned about the unborn baby,” Chani’s older sister, Philiswa Mapapu, said, adding that a doctor “refused blatantly”.
Chani finally gave birth, with a lot of difficulty, to a feeble baby boy at 4.45pm on Thursday May 18.
He was pronounced dead at about 7pm the same day.
“On Thursday, labour was again induced,” Mapapu said. “The doctor said if she does not deliver naturally she will go for a caesarean section at 4pm, but that also did not happen.”
Mapapu, who was listed as Chani’s next of kin, reported that she had received a call at precisely 5.30pm from the Port Alfred Hospital saying the baby was struggling to breathe and was being transferred to Dora Nginza Hospital in Port Elizabeth.
“I rushed there,” Mapapu said. “Upon my arrival, I was told by the specialist in Dora Nginza that they must keep the baby in Port Alfred on life support and see what happens.”
Chani’s baby boy was on life support until the family was told at about 7pm that he had passed away due to lung failure.
“But what amazed us and raised our concern is that the baby was still gasping,” Mapapu said. “When we asked how come, they kept saying he is taking his last breath.”
After witnessing a three-hour-long “last breath”, the family approached their doctor for an explanation.
“She was rude, explaining briefly with no details as to what the cause of ‘death’ is,” Mapapu said.
“She said the baby died due to brain bleeding, and when we asked about the lung failure she had mentioned before, she denied ever mentioning anything about lung failure.
“We then asked her about the gasps the baby is still taking.
“She said it’s normal [and that] they will subside in no time as the baby’s heart is not beating.
“We further asked if there was anything she could do, and she refused.”
According to Mapapu, they left the hospital that evening at 10.45pm, and returned the next morning to news that the baby was still alive and breathing, albeit struggling; and nurses on duty told them the baby was in a critical condition. “We were shocked by this news, as we were told the previous night that the baby is dead,” Mapapu said.
The matron on duty told the family that the baby was placed back on life support at around 8am. At 10.10am on Friday May 19, the family was told again that their baby had passed away.
“Our main complaint is not the death of the baby on its own, but the whole process,” Mapapu said.
“We know that all this won’t bring the baby back to us, but at least justice would be served. Hospital management must take action.
“Please consider the emotional roller-coaster they took us through this whole ordeal.
“The hospital was negligent and careless. They should have at least done the caesarean section; maybe the baby would have survived.
“If they didn’t take him off life support in the first place, maybe the baby would have survived.”
TotT’s queries to Eastern Cape health department spokesman Sizwe Kupelo went unanswered.
However, Eastern Cape health department superintendent-general Thobile Mbengashe told the Sunday Times the department had launched an investigation.
“The preliminary findings are very disturbing regarding the care that was provided to the patient,” Mbengashe said.
“I will institute a full quality-assurance investigation to determine if [there was] negligence and malpractice. We have expressed a sincere apology and condolences to the family.”
If they didn’t take him off life support in the first place, maybe the baby would have survived