PREGNANT principal dies in taxi

Close friends of the late Abia Nangameyo, Principal of the Ongwediva Roman Catholic kindergarten Tiny Tots, was one month shy of giving birth to her second child when she started experiencing abdominal pain on January 6.

The young mother, fearing that she was in labour, immediately checked herself into the Oshakati State Hospital’s Maternity ward, where nurses allegedly informed her that her baby was breech and as such, a C-section was needed.

Due to the unavailability of a doctor, however, an unidentified nurse on duty allegedly sent Nangameyo home, instead telling her to return the following Monday, January 9, when a doctor could attend to her.

When the abdominal pain became unbearable by Sunday, January 8, Nangameyo – fearing that something terrible had happened to her unborn child – called her neighbours to her Ongwediva home to take her back to the hospital.

Nangameyo allegedly took her last breath on the backseat of a taxi near the Okandjengedi Bridge - about three kilometres away from the Oshakati State Hospital’s main gate.

“I saw her the Friday before she died and she seemed fine. On Sunday though, she started breathing uncontrollably and immediately had to be taken to the hospital. That was the last time I saw her alive,” said a close family member.

Unit Commander of the Oshakati Police Mortuary, Warrant Officer Josef Namuandi says he was on stand-by when the Police received news of a dead pregnant woman at the Oshakati State Hospital Casualty ward.

Namuandi claims that although Nangameyo’s corpse was transported to the Police mortuary the day after her death, a post mortem was never conducted as no foul play was suspected.

“A family member came to us and told us that there was no need for a post mortem because she was sick when she died. The family only wanted us to remove the baby so that they could bury her,” said Namuandi.

Although unfamiliar with the details of Nangameyo’s case, Oshana Health Director, Dr Josefina Augustino insists it is the hospital’s policy that a doctor has to be on duty in all departments 24 hours a day. Augustino added that she would have to look into the details leading up to Nangameyo’s death before she could say what necessary steps would be taken if hospital staff were found to have acted negligently.

“I cannot tell you anything right now because we have many deaths in the hospital and I don’t know about this specifi c case. A report will definitely be made and sent to relevant authorities,” said Augustino. A relative of Nangameyo says the young mother, who left behind a seven-year-old daughter, was on January 12 buried at Olukonda Village in the Oshikoto Region.

click to enlarge REST IN PEACE: The late Abia Nangameyo (at the back) pictured with her learners at the Ongwediva Roman Catholic kindergarten Tiny Tots © CONTRIBUTED