SINAZO Mfanelo and her boyfriend Thulani Balani, both 29 years old, had to carry their tiny dead newborn baby for more than six hours as staff at Nontyantyambo Community Centre in Mdantsane, East London allegedly refused to admit her.
They said they were told there was nothing the nurses could do because the baby had died at home.
Before the baby died, the couple said they had visited the community centre twice and were told there were no doctors.
Sinazo, who was five months pregnant, felt terrible pain on Sunday evening. She called Thulani.
They went to the nearest clinic, Nontyantyambo Community Centre, but they said they were given pain tablets and told to go home.
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At about 1am on Monday, she felt the same pains again but because there was no transport, she had to wait until sunrise.
“I could feel this terrible pain below my belly. I could not stand it. I tossed and turned in the bed,” said Sinazo.
She went back to Nontyantyambo at about 4am and she said nurses told her there was nothing they could do because there were no doctors.
She was told to wait until 9am.
She went home to wait for the doctor’s arrival.
But while waiting at home, at about 7am, she eventually gave birth at Thulani’s house, also in Mdantsane, but the baby was not breathing.
The couple said they rushed to Nontyantyambo, but nurses told her she would not be admitted because the baby did not die there, but at home.
Thulani spoke about how he realised Sinazo was about to give birth.
“She was in terrible pain. She asked me to inspect her vagina to see what was going on and I realised she was giving birth and there was a lot of blood. After she had given birth, I went to look for help. When I looked at the baby it had died.
“We took the baby and went back to Nontyantyambo. There, they told us there is nothing they could do except clean the mother. They said we should go to the nearest police station to report the death and call a funeral parlour of our choice for the baby. The nurses said they only care for people who had died in hospital.”
With the baby in Sinazo’s arms, the couple went to Vulindlela Police Station as instructed by the nurses.
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The police were not helpful and told them to go back to Nontyantyambo and reason with the staff.
Sinazo said the police “were shocked that we were not admitted but they told us there was also nothing they could do”.
Trying to figure out their next move, they went back home with the baby.
Because Thulani’s mother knew a nurse at Cecilia Makiwane Hospital, also in Mdantsane, they contacted the nurse who asked them to bring the baby.
“Eventually we got help around 1pm after roaming with the deceased baby,” said Thulani.
In a one-line response, Eastern Cape Health Department spokesman Sizwe Kupelo said: “We will refer this to our customer care for investigation.”
Asked whether he would respond to the detailed questions sent to him, Kupelo replied: “This is a response, matter referred to call centre for a formal investigation.”
