By Omar Bah
The director of health services Mustapha Bittaye has confirmed to The Standard yesterday that the ministry of health has launched an investigation into a report about a nurse alleged to have neglected a pregnant woman who later lost her baby during delivery. “I can confirm to you that the ministry is investigating the matter to ascertain the facts,” Bittaye told The Standard.
The husband of the affected woman, Ebrima Campo Jatta said his heavily pregnant wife was first taken to the Sukuta Health Centre to expecting give birth there but was later transferred to Serekunda because the labour ward at Sukuta was under renovation. He further revealed that his wife was accompanied by her elder sister and when they arrived, they were received by the nurse in-charge who later passed them to another nurse, name withheld, informing her that the woman was very close to her delivery time.
“Few hours later, the new nurse attended to my wife and transferred her to another room after running a brief check on her. But at around 2am, when my wife began to deliver the baby this new nurse told her to help herself by pushing the baby and when I tried to tell her that ‘this is my wife’s first pregnancy and she might not have experience, the nurse did not bother to come to help. Few hours later, I called the nurse again to come and check my wife but she refused and even stopped my sister in-law from entering the room. At this point I got fed up and told them that I am a journalist and I threatened to expose them. That was the time they started rushing to help my wife. It was too late. My wife gave birth at around 3:54am and unfortunately the baby just cried once, and was later confirmed dead by the nurses,” Jatta alleged. He said he straight away reported the matter to the police and the nurse concerned was invited and held for some time.
“I am very sad about the death of the child and though I took it in good faith I am equally disappointed because a little effort from the nurses could have saved the child. I still cannot believe what happened but when I looked back and see my wife. I feel assured that all is not lost,” Jatta said.
