Fri, Jul 27th, 2012

Uganda: Mother dies while delivering spends a day in ward

By
Uganda Up-country journalist, Gulu

A woman identified as Sunday Akello, 24, died on maternity ward during delivery, while Ernestina Lawino passed away from the medicine on the same ward on Saturday night.

The hospital source who asked not to be named because of fear of losing his job said Ms Akello died while delivering and abandoned by midwives for more than seven hours on bed without covering the body.

“The mid wives are lazy and if you do not pay money they take their time to help deliveries,” he said. “She cried and cried and then died.”

Meanwhile, the vice Chairman of Gulu Local government and councilor for Awach Christopher Opio Ateke, and Bungatira Sub-county Councilor Belington Ongwec stormed the hospital after a tip from one of the nurses and found the wards without mid wives on duty.

“We recorded cases of harassment and absenteeism from duties” Ateker said “they report for few hours and leave for home,” he added.

Ms Akello and Lawino come from Bar Mogo village in Bobi Sub-county in Gulu district, according to Isaac Newton Ojok, a relative of the deceased.

“We had called the Medical Superintendent to brief us on the hospital status but he failed to appear, we are demanding him for the last time,” said Ojok on Monday, who is vice District Chairman.

He said the act violates the professional ethics and the district would not tolerate medical officials who do not perform the job that require of them.

This is the second major incident of mothers dying of delivery due to negligence by the medical workers.

On duty were said to be a senior nursing officer Ms Christine Akumu and Sarah Awino, a nurising officer who had been missing at work.

In September last year, a pregnant mother lost her newly born baby after midwives poorly cut and tied the umbilical cord of the child. The workers have since left scoff free.

At the same time, mortuary attendants are being accused of soliciting money for relatives of the deceased to access dead bodies.

They accuse the head of Mortuary Mr Boniface Okabo, George Oroma and one Roscoe of being the culprits. Okabo declined to comment.

The Medical Superintendent Dr Anthony Onyachi who is out of the hospital for officials duties said he was unaware of the incident.

“It’s a shock to me and if we find that such allegations are true we will deal with the rpersons diligently,” Dr Onyachi said.

Recently medical workers countrywide have been striking to demand for salary increment and good working conditions from the government.

 

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Uganda: Mother dies while delivering spends a day in ward