A 25-year-old woman, who lost her baby boy before delivery on Monday morning at Outjo district hospital in the Kunene region, allegedly due to a nurse’s negligence, is asking the hospital to assist her with funeral arrangements, as she cannot afford a burial.

Ania Nicoleta Horases told New Era her son could have been alive had the nurses made more of an effort to attend to her pain the first time she visited the Outjo hospital on 31 December 2021.

“I had experienced pain on the 31st and called an ambulance that responded and picked me up from the farm with a car from another department. The nurses observed me and told me that it is premature labour; I must go back to the farm and rest to wait for the mature labour, which I did,” she explained.

She added she then decided to go back to the hospital on Saturday when the pain worsened but nothing was done; instead, she was kept in an isolation room to wait for labour.

“While I was in that room, the pain got worse, and I decided to alert the nurses on duty, who then checked to measure the contraction – just to see me heavily bleeding. She rushed to scan me – just to find my baby breathless,” she explained.

She said if the nurses could have scanned her on the first day she visited the hospital, that death could be avoided.

“Imagine, if those nurses could put in much effort to scan the pregnancy to determine the problem. My baby could be alive if I was scanned on time and there will be no extra costs. I called the ambulance to take me to the hospital because I have no money to pay for transport. Now, I have to deal with funeral arrangements. Where will I get the money from? I am unemployed. All I am asking is that the hospital must at least assist with the arrangements to bury my son,” she said.

She further added that she is disappointed by the way the nurses handled and ignored her during the process, saying it is disheartening, and she does not wish it to happen to other expectant mothers.

“Imagine you have gone through so much pain and after the whole process you are told your medical passport is missing hence just go home to mourn your child while they are looking for it. It is so disappointing and saddening,” she said.

Contacted for comment, health director in the Kunene region Tomas Shapumba said he does not have a comment, as the matter was not yet officially reported to his office.

“As soon as I get the official report, I will determine whether there is a possibility of investigations and what exactly transpired,” he said. – ljason@nepc.com.na