Grieving dad sues for N$2.7m

A grieving father is suing the health ministry for N$2.75 million after his daughter died shortly after giving birth at the Sesfontein health clinic in late 2018.Jan Awiseb alleges Sesfontein's health clinic staff failed to provide the necessary care and services to his daughter, Leonora Kuku Gawases, on 15 October 2018 when she went into labour. He claims his daughter's placenta was not removed and remained undetected, which resulted in significant blood loss. Awiseb said his daughter “bled to death”. He claims initially she was refused assistance and was forced to endure pain without any help. Later, a nurse only “reluctantly” attended to her, “however, he failed to do so with the necessary care and skill required of a nurse”.The particulars of the claim state Gawases' death was caused by the “wrongful and unlawful failure to assist the patient by the employees of the ministry of health and social services”. Awiseb, who has taken over the care of his grandchildren, said the loss of his daughter led to emotional shock and trauma, inconvenience and discomfort, and the hefty current and future financial duties in relation to her surviving children. He is asking the court to award him N$900 000 for trauma and N$500 000 for the discomfort the family has endured because of their loss of a daughter and mother. He is also asking for N$1.3 million for current and future expenses related to raising the children. Another N$50 000 is for funeral expenses. Untrue Meanwhile, the health ministry denies any wrongdoing and blame for Gawases' death. According to the ministry, the baby was delivered “normally and the placenta removed”. Papers filed at the High Court by the ministry state that Gawases was afforded the highest standard of care and diligence expected of the facility's staff. Although a doctor was not available “at all times, the nurse spoke to the doctor on duty telephonically, who advised the nurse to provide an intravenous line”. Gawases received oxytocin for pain and to help stabilise her, before she was transferred to the Opuwo hospital with her newborn baby and three family members, the ministry said. “At all times, she was alive”, and the nurse who assisted during labour “made constant routine checks on his patient along the way to Opuwo hospital. The deceased neither bled nor was injured as a result of the birth”. The ministry also denied that Gawases died while being transported, adding that she and her baby were alive when they arrived at Opuwo hospital, where she was “safely handed over to the medical doctor”.The ministry has filed a motion asking that the claim against it be dismissed with costs due to a number of issues. On Monday, Justice Thomas Masuku postponed the case to 11 May at 14:30 for a status hearing.Marcia Amupolo of Amupolo & Co. Inc is representing Awiseb, while government attorney Jabulani Ncube is appearing on behalf of the defendants.JANA-MARI SMITH

Grieving dad sues for N$2.7m

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Namibian Sun 2025-05-06

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Grieving dad sues for N$2.7m

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Namibian Sun 2025-05-06

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