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Two Midwives cited for Professional Negligence in Suwaiba’s missing Baby

01/27/2017 10:31

by Vibe Ghana

Two midwives involved in the mysterious disappearance of the baby of Madam Suwaiba Mumuni at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), have been cited for professional negligence by the Ministry of Health Investigative Committee.

The two are, Ms. Patience Amposah, Senior Staff Midwife, and the midwife who was head of the night shift on February 4 and 5, when the incident took place, has also been suspended from the practice of midwifery for two weeks without pay.

Ms. Marian Asare, Principal Midwifery Officer, in charge of A1 Labour Ward who took over from Ms Amposah has also been suspended from midwifery practice for four weeks without pay.

All the three professional bodies – KATH, the Nursing and Midwifery Council, and Medical and Dental Council, tasked by the MoH to investigate the health professionals involved in the missing baby saga, recommended the suspension of the two midwives after being found guilty of professional negligence.

A Ministry of Health statement issued and copied to the Ghana News Agency in Accra said the three bodies recommended that the two Midwives should under-go an orientation programme prescribed by the Council, and submit evidence in this regard before their licenses would be restored.

The report, however, did not find any professional negligence or misconduct against Ms. Sophia Addai, but recommended that her final exoneration should await the completion of the forensic investigation by the police.

The bodies were tasked by the Ministry of Health on March 25 to investigate the midwives and the medical doctor who were on duty on these two days when the unfortunate incident occurred.

Madam Suwaiba, 42, who was carrying her second term pregnancy, lost her baby after she was referred to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital from Amaamata Memorial Maternity Clinic in Kumasi for further treatment.

She was said to have had a still-birth, but hours later she requested for the still-born baby for burial or otherwise, but the KATH authorities could not produce the baby.

The report, however, cleared Dr. Michael Adow, the doctor on duty at the time, of any act of negligence or professional misconduct, and the Ministry has, therefore, requested Management of KATH to recall him from leave.

It noted that the Orderly, Baba, who was initially accused of taking custody of the missing baby will continue to be on leave until the police complete their investigations into the case.

The report enumerated series of measures to be taken by the Ministry of Health and the three institutions, to ensure sanity and forestall future occurrences.

It among others, recommended that KATH established well defined channels of communication between the hospital and the media/bereaved families; beef up security at the maternity unit, certify all still-births, and issue death certificates, as well as ensure constant communication between Doctors and Midwives in attending to patients, and prompt discussions of adverse findings to facilitate best practices.

The Ministry of Health should develop Standard Operation Procedure to include Labour, Deliveries and Discharges, Management of still-births and neonatal deaths, Bereavement and Burial of dead babies.

The rest should include Protocol on baby theft, Development of protocols and guidelines for clinical audit; redesign still-births and mortuary registers, to capture more vital information for better identification.

The report further recommended that Madam Suwaiba and family be provided emotional support through the services of a Clinical Psychologist as well as further assistance for her infertility treatment if necessary.

[Note: The concern for human trafficking of babies is quite real -- for illegal adoptions, and even for their organs and tissues: https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=%22human+trafficking%22+%22babies%22

Tags:

abuse | profiteering | trafficking

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