A horrific maternal death in which both a mother and child died has left staff at a Ugandan hospital distraught.
Tereza Kamugwere, hospital administrator at Kilembe hospital in Kasese municipality, Uganda were distraught to discover a dismembered foetus as they operated on a woman fighting for her life due to a prolonged labor.
The woman, who died due to the trauma, was identified as a 48-year-old resident of Bughendero village in Buhaghura sub-county of Kasese district.
Kamugwere confirmed the incident during a visit to the health facility by Kasese municipality mayor, Godfrey Kabyanga on 23 December (2011).
“It was a shock of the year. In fact the doctor could not believe it,” Sr. Kamugwere said, tears forming in her eyes.
The woman had been referred to Kilembe Hospital by Rwesande Health Four on 2 December after being attended to by traditional birth attendants.
Kamugwere said the women had been in labor for sometime when she was admitted to hospital. Her baby had already died but staff operated on the women in an attempt to save her life.
A source close to the late women’s husband said she had gone into labour a week before she was brought to Rwesande Health Centre Four. The source said TBAs had acted on the advice of witchdoctors but had been unable to deliver the baby. After four days they discovered the baby in had died in the womb. They then tried to extract the foetus but were unable to extract all of it, leaving it dismembered.
Sr. Annah Mutazindwa, a senior nursing sister in-charge of the maternity at Kilembe Hospital, said many expectant mothers experiencing problems in childbirth are brought to the hospital too late.
“That is why still births are many at this hospital and then people blame us, [saying] that we don’t know our job,” Sr. Mutazindwa added.
She said many cases originate from Busongora North Constituency of Kasese district and linked the problem to “ignorance, poverty and belief in witchcraft”.
Sr. Mutazindwa said hospital records indicated that 48% of the expectant mothers from Busongora North who visited Kilembe Hospital live under the poverty line and around 60% are illiterate.
On hearing about the incident, the mayor said he would liaise with his fellow leaders in Busongora North to carry out an intensive sensitization about health and safe motherhood in the area.
