News / Local
Hospital death, hubby accuses staff of negligence
28 Mar 2014 at 16:32hrs | Views
A BULAWAYO man told his wife's inquest that she died as a result of Mpilo Central Hospital staff's negligence. Samantha Sungirai reportedly bled to death after giving birth through a Caesarean section on March 14, 2012.
Chamunorwa Makumbe said his wife bled to death due to negligence by medical personnel at the hospital. He said her death could have been avoided had the staff acted professionally.
"I believe my wife died due to negligence. She went to Mpilo in the morning around 9AM and was examined. It was discovered that she was bleeding from the vag*na. She was due, at 38 weeks, although she was not yet in labour.
"Her condition needed urgent attention but she spent the whole day waiting for an operation, which was done after seven hours," Makumbe told Bulawayo magistrate Chrispen Mberewere who is sitting as the coroner.
He said what pained him most was that none of the nurses or midwives bothered to tell me what transpired.
"They kept referring me from one office to another claiming my wife had survived the operation. As I went to different offices, one nurse finally told me that my wife had died and she also said she could have survived had the operation been done earlier,"he said.
Some people who were in the gallery who are probably relatives started shedding tears as Makumbe gave evidence.
"One of the officials even confided in me that they did not order enough blood for my wife's operation and that on its own is negligence.
"My wife was bleeding before the operation, which should have prompted them to order more blood even for the operation," he said.
Makumbe said he expected the doctor to explain to him what had transpired but the doctor somehow disappeared without an explanation.
"These people had enough time from 9AM to prepare for an operation and save my wife's life," said Makumbe who however said he was grateful that the baby who is now two years old, survived.
Taking the witness stand, midwife Nonhlanhla Bhebhe confirmed she attended to the late Sungirai at 9AM and that the operation carried out later that evening was too late to save her life.
"I attended to the deceased at admissions and I examined her before handing her over to the theatre as she was bleeding from the vag*na. I discovered that she was 38 weeks and due for delivery. It is dangerous for a pregnant woman to bleed," said Bhebhe.
She went on: "I also discovered that her blood pressure was very high and gave her some drugs to stabilise her. She was supposed to be taken to theatre immediately as her situation was critical. I then handed her over to staffers at the theatre around 10AM.
"I knocked off at 4PM that day and she was still not operated on. I understand the operation was carried out in the evening and that was too late to save her."
Bhebhe,who has more than five years' experience as a midwife, added: "I acted professionally on my part as I examined her but am not sure what happened afterwards."
The inquest continues on April, 4 and State witnesses Donald Mtungwazi and Primrose Temayi are expected to testify.
Chamunorwa Makumbe said his wife bled to death due to negligence by medical personnel at the hospital. He said her death could have been avoided had the staff acted professionally.
"I believe my wife died due to negligence. She went to Mpilo in the morning around 9AM and was examined. It was discovered that she was bleeding from the vag*na. She was due, at 38 weeks, although she was not yet in labour.
"Her condition needed urgent attention but she spent the whole day waiting for an operation, which was done after seven hours," Makumbe told Bulawayo magistrate Chrispen Mberewere who is sitting as the coroner.
He said what pained him most was that none of the nurses or midwives bothered to tell me what transpired.
"They kept referring me from one office to another claiming my wife had survived the operation. As I went to different offices, one nurse finally told me that my wife had died and she also said she could have survived had the operation been done earlier,"he said.
Some people who were in the gallery who are probably relatives started shedding tears as Makumbe gave evidence.
"One of the officials even confided in me that they did not order enough blood for my wife's operation and that on its own is negligence.
"My wife was bleeding before the operation, which should have prompted them to order more blood even for the operation," he said.
Makumbe said he expected the doctor to explain to him what had transpired but the doctor somehow disappeared without an explanation.
"These people had enough time from 9AM to prepare for an operation and save my wife's life," said Makumbe who however said he was grateful that the baby who is now two years old, survived.
Taking the witness stand, midwife Nonhlanhla Bhebhe confirmed she attended to the late Sungirai at 9AM and that the operation carried out later that evening was too late to save her life.
"I attended to the deceased at admissions and I examined her before handing her over to the theatre as she was bleeding from the vag*na. I discovered that she was 38 weeks and due for delivery. It is dangerous for a pregnant woman to bleed," said Bhebhe.
She went on: "I also discovered that her blood pressure was very high and gave her some drugs to stabilise her. She was supposed to be taken to theatre immediately as her situation was critical. I then handed her over to staffers at the theatre around 10AM.
"I knocked off at 4PM that day and she was still not operated on. I understand the operation was carried out in the evening and that was too late to save her."
Bhebhe,who has more than five years' experience as a midwife, added: "I acted professionally on my part as I examined her but am not sure what happened afterwards."
The inquest continues on April, 4 and State witnesses Donald Mtungwazi and Primrose Temayi are expected to testify.
Source - chronicle
