NURSES involved in the Victoria Falls Hospital mysterious baby death have called for DNA tests to be urgently conducted as they deny the baby swopping allegations raised against them by the infant’s parents.
BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI
The incident, which has since last month sparked public demonstrations, has forced the Health and Child Care ministry to conduct an inquiry where both parties were last week called to hearings.
The Mfelandawonye couple, Faison Nyathi (29) and Juliet Dube (22), is up in arms with hospital officials over the death of their infant born on August 27.
Nyathi claimed that a woman (name withdrawn) had been given her baby after nurses allegedly dropped and killed hers following a caesarean section on August 29.
However, the nurses allegedly involved in the matter were called to the hospital to give their version of events on the day in question.
Health Bridge private doctor Edmore Gwenhamo, who conducted the C-section, testified that the child had a deformed head and a minor bruise on his left eye and a suspected infection contracted from his mother, but the infant’s parents have disputed that version.
Nurse-in-charge Lloyd Garura said he had previously advised the family that the child looked unwell and urged the mother to breastfeed him frequently as his temperature had risen to 40,50 Celsius.
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He said they suspected that the child had jaundice due to his pale and light skin colour.
A nurse aide, Abigail Dube, said she had urged the mother to take better care of her son.
“When I was doing rounds at night, I found her sleeping, facing the opposite direction from her son who was up and I advised her to breastfeed the baby and clean his umbilical cord. I helped her to clean it and checked his temperature and her blood pressure. In the morning after the visiting hour, I noticed that her child was not feeding and his mouth was open and his skin and hands had changed colour,” she recalled.
“I immediately informed Garura, who advised me to immediately bring him to the labour room for examination. I asked the mother to hand over the baby, and I gave the child to Garura, who tried to resuscitate the child, but he was unresponsive.”
Receiving and theatre nurses, identified as sister Mlabo and Ncube, said the child had a swollen forehead, bruised eye and was on antibiotics, and the mother had been notified of the baby’s condition.
The family did not agree with the nurses’ account of events and argued that the hospital’s failure to communicate with them raised suspicion.
The hospital workers said they were now labelled murderers and thieves, and some have received multiple death threats, which made it difficult for them to conduct their work. The inquiry team urged the family to go for DNA tests at a facility of their choice.
It was also agreed that the pathologist, who did the autopsy, should give a detailed account of the head injury that the dead child sustained to help with investigations.
