By Tabora Bojang
Kaddijatou Sowe, a first-year chemistry student at the University of The Gambia, has died during childbirth at the Bansang Hospital. Her baby too died. It is the latest in a series of reported deaths from complications related to pregnancy and child birth that continue to cause outcry across the country with many questioning the quality of the public health system.
Her husband Abdoulie Baldeh, who is also a student at the university and a health officer, told The Standard that his wife died barely hours after undergoing surgery at the Bansang Hospital Sunday night.
According to Mr. Baldeh, the family is of the view that there was negligence from both the Brikamaba Health Centre and Bansang Hospital leading to the death of his wife. Baldeh said a post mortem was already conducted before the body was handed over to the family.
When contacted, Dr. Musa Marenah, a senior officer of the Ministry, said the Ministry of Health is awaiting a report from the hospital which will determine what steps they would take to investigate the matter.
The coordinator of the Gambia Women’s Lives Matters, Mbaling Cham whose organisation has been campaigning and rendering support to babies whose mothers died in labour, said some 420 young women died during childbirth from August 2020 to August 2022.
