Anguished family consider legal action over newborn’s death

The family of a newborn baby girl who died after spending two weeks at Rundu Intermediate Hospital is appealing for a private lawyer to assist them in pursuing a civil claim against the health ministry, alleging negligence after the newborn reportedly sustained a cut to the head during delivery.

The baby's grandfather, Johannes Kasera, told Namibian Sun: “We believe there was negligence,” adding that the grieving family is disappointed by how the matter was handled.

They now want the matter to go the legal route and are appealing to a private lawyer for assistance.

The infant was born at Rundu Intermediate Hospital on 14 August and remained at the facility until 28 August, when she died.

Her 19-year-old mother, Anna Kasera, alleges that her daughter sustained a cut to the head during delivery and that she was initially not informed about the injury or where her newborn had been taken.

Johannes said he had travelled from Walvis Bay in early August in anticipation of the birth of his granddaughter, but the family's excitement soon turned into disbelief and grief.

He said the family wants the circumstances surrounding the baby's injury and subsequent death to be properly accounted for.

The family's concerns stem from Anna's account of the events surrounding the birth.

Anna said she began experiencing stomach pains on the morning of 14 August and was taken to Rundu Intermediate Hospital by her grandmother at around 11:00.

She said she went into labour at around 13:00 and gave birth shortly afterwards.

Anna claims that after the birth, she was treated and later taken to the theatre before waking up at around 16:00 and being moved to another room.

However, she claims no one told her where her baby was or informed her that the child had sustained an injury.

She claimed she eventually found her daughter in the premature/neonatal unit.

She added that according to her recollection, a doctor asked whether they had seen a wound on the baby's head. “We said no, we didn't see,” Anna said.

She claimed the doctor informed them that the baby had a wound but could not immediately explain how it had happened because she had reportedly not been present during the delivery.

When Anna saw her daughter, she claims the baby's head and eyes were swollen, making it difficult for her to open her eyes.

Anna said she repeatedly asked hospital staff what had caused the injury but initially struggled to get an explanation.

“I would always go there and ask what happened and what was the cause of the cut,” she said.

Anna claims she was eventually told “that apparently when I was giving birth, I was moving, and then they cut the baby by mistake”.

Anna claims hospital staff eventually told the family that the cut was not deep. She said the swelling gradually subsided and the baby's eyes eventually started opening.

The baby girl nevertheless remained in hospital for two weeks before dying on 28 August.

Anna said she received counselling from a hospital social worker but claimed she only received the assistance after requesting it.

Health ministry responds

Health ministry spokesperson Walters Kamaya told Namibian Sun this week that the ministry has not launched an investigation into the matter because no formal complaint had been lodged.

“We only launch an investigation when there's a complaint being lodged, [an] official complaint,” he said.

Nevertheless, Kamaya confirmed that the hospital's clinical records show that the baby was born prematurely on 14 August and was admitted to the premature/neonatal unit for specialised care.

He said a scalp laceration was among the clinical findings documented following the delivery.

However, Kamaya said the clinical records did not list the scalp laceration as the cause of death.

Instead, the baby's death was associated with complications of prematurity and other medical conditions, according to the clinical documentation available to the ministry.