WINDHOEK - Two nurses at the Okuryangava clinic who allegedly refused to attend to a 24-year-old woman in labour, who subsequently gave birth at the gate of the clinic, have been suspended with immediate effect pending a disciplinary procedure. 

Health minister Dr Bernard Haufiku said in parliament yesterday that the ministry conducted preliminary investigations into the incident that occurred on 31 August and that the two nurses will be charged with misconduct and negligence.  Haufiku also said that their dismissal was recommended if found guilty.

“If I had the power I would dismiss them right away,” Haufiku told parliamentarians.  
A video of a woman giving birth at the gate of Okuryangava clinic made rounds on social media last recently.  Haufiku said he met the woman, her newly-born baby boy and the friend who accompanied her to the clinic on 31 August.

In the presence of the two nurses, Haufiku on Monday asked the mother to narrate her ordeal in the presence of the two nurses, the regional director of health for Khomas, a customer care officer as well as other officials at the Okuryangava clinic.

He also asked for the woman’s permission to be recorded and photographed. 
The woman explained she realised she was in labour at around 7am on Friday, 31 August and phoned a friend to accompany her. They took a taxi and her membrane raptured (water broke) while in the taxi. 
When they arrived at the clinic at about 8h45, they told the two nurses that she was in labour and that her membrane had already ruptured and that she felt the baby was about to be born. 

Instead of examining her, they asked where she had been attending antenatal visits to which she replied it was at Windhoek Central Hospital. 

Without examining her, the nurses told the woman to go to Windhoek Central hospital because they did not have delivery equipment at the clinic. 

The woman gave birth at the gate of the clinic while being filmed by curious onlookers standing by. The baby was stuck in her trouser by time the two nurses attended to her. 

The two nurses’ initial version was that they heard screams of a woman in labour and rushed to attend to the woman who was later referred to Katutura hospital and that she and her baby were doing well. 
However, their version contradicted the version of the woman and the observations of the customer care officer in the Ministry of Health and Social Services, Manga Libita. 

On Monday, the two admitted that they did not make the patient comfortable, nor did they examine the patient. 
“One of the nurses even remarked that it was the first time that she saw a patient with no sign of (labour) pain on her face,” Haufiku said. 

After the meeting on Monday at Okuryangava clinic, the nurses pleaded with the minister to pardon them, he related to fellow parliamentarians yesterday. 

“I told them that I don’t hate them but it’s because of their interaction with the patient… Their actions are unforgettable because they did not make the patient comfortable,” said Haufiku. 

He further commented on the cases of misconduct among health professionals, saying there is a pending case at Opuwo State Hospital where a patient died in the queue: 
“We do find these cases here and there. We know that we are constrained but we have an oath as health professionals. We have to comply with rules of hospitals as professionals,” Haufiku cautioned. The suspended nurses have work experience of 26 years and 14 years respectively.