With concordant reports both from the family of
Nkimih Alfred and sources close to officials at the Yaounde Central Hospital,there are indications that the lack or absence of incubators in the pediatric department of the health establishment, is the
major cause of the death of the quintuplets (five fetuses) of Mrs Nkimih Honorine , on March 22 2016.
MR & MRS NKIMIH: OTHER VICTIMS OF THE SITUATION |
The Minister of Public Health has reportedly given the hospital 48 hours, for the management to explain what
actually transpired. Our emails to
the Minister and his collaborators, requesting for clarifications have remained unanswered.
At the time of filling in this report, there is still a heavy deployment of
troops at the Yaounde Central Hospital to prevent any form of protest against
what is being described as negligence on the part of the hospital and a failed
health care system.
While waiting for government's own position vis-avis this scandal after the one at the Laquantinie hospital in Douala on March 12, we were able to get some information on the tragedy.
CHRONOLOGY OF HAPPENINGS : NKIMIH FAMILY’S VERSION
When her pregnancy was 3 months old, she did her prenatal consultations at the Baptist Hospital Etoug Ebe, where she was informed that she was carrying triplets. She was also advised she could put to
birth through a surgical operation because of the delicate nature of her
pregnancy .She was advised to continue consultation at the Yaounde Central
hospital which was somewhat equipped.
Monday
March 22: Mrs Nkimih Honorine books appointment with a gynecologist at the
Yaounde Teaching Hospital, CUSS
INCUBATOR : URGENTLY NEEDED IN CAMEROON |
Tuesday
22 March: She was having contractions and visited the hospital
for consultation . She is accompanied by her younger
sister since her husband was not on seat. At CUSS she is examined by a medic who
observed that she needed urgent medical attention.
She is transferred to the
Yaounde Central Hospital where Dr Fouedjio was on standby . At the maternity of the Yaounde
Central Hospital, Mme Nkimih Honorine and her sister waited for almost an hour
before they could be attended to.
Dr Fouedjio examined the pregnant
woman and told her, that her cervix was open and that she has to put to birth without
delay. When Mrs Nkimih said she was only six months pregnant and that she came
to hospital with just her handbag, the Dr reportedly told her…” You are not the
one to teach me my job.”.
The Doctor decides to induce her with force labour. While the discussions were
ongoing, Mrs Nkimihs’s sister was reportedly extorted some 15000 frs by nurses
who claim her sister would need some drugs after delivery.
NO
INCUBATOR EVERYWHERE?
The nurses also informed the
sister that the maternity does not have incubators that Mrs Nkimih's sister would
need after delivery. Nkimih’s sister was asked by the midwives and nurses to go
and secure one at the nearby Chantal Biya Foundation.
At Chantal Biya Foundation she is made to understand that there was only a single available incubator which could not immediately be given to her. On her return, the nurses advised her to continue the search for an incubator at the Bethesda Full Gospel Hospital (in the Bastos area) where none was available. She also went to the Yaounde Teaching Hospital where she again found none.
At Chantal Biya Foundation she is made to understand that there was only a single available incubator which could not immediately be given to her. On her return, the nurses advised her to continue the search for an incubator at the Bethesda Full Gospel Hospital (in the Bastos area) where none was available. She also went to the Yaounde Teaching Hospital where she again found none.
QUINTUPLETS
ARE BORN
While the journey for an
incubator was on, Mme Nkimih was having her babies in the maternity. Four premature
babies were born. The fifth was stillbirth. Her hospital book signed by Dr Fouedjio Florent gave the following characteristics of the babies.
FACTS ON BABIES
Baby
No
|
Sex
|
Weight
|
Observation
|
1
|
Fem
|
570 g
|
Alive at birth
|
2
|
Male
|
600g
|
Alive at birth
|
3
|
Male
|
600 g
|
Alive at birth
|
4
|
Male
|
700 g
|
Alive at birth
|
5
|
Unknown
|
Unknown
|
Still birth (Died)
|
The new born were put in a small
open incubator-like 'basin' covered with black plastics bag. Mme Nkimih called the attention of the
Doctor to inquire about the well being of her babies. She was told not to be a nuisance
for he (the Doctor has done his part) “That the rest is not my responsibility,”
the Doctor reportedly retorted.
At a certain moment the newborn
were handed to Mrs Nkimih's sister. “Take them away and struggle by yourself to
get an incubator,” the nurses are quoted as having said. “If you don’t want to
take them we would give it as food to your sister,” the nurses reportedly added.
NKIMIH'S QUINTUPLETS |
Within the context of all the in
and out and to and fro movements in search of an incubator, all the children died . Madam
Nkimih later saw her children as published in the photo (on the right), already dead.
March
22 – March Thurday 24
From Tuesday March 22 until Thursday March 24 2016, Mme Nkimih who was admitted said she received no visit
or psychological comfort from the staff of the hospital. Not even the director
of the hospital showed his face.
The father of the children, Nkimih Alfred made
vain efforts at meeting the director of the health establishment for
explanations. The Social Affairs services did not reportedly bother to help. Mr Nkimih was
instead told to be happy that his wife survived. The Nkimihs were forced to pay
the sum of 33.000 Frs for the woman to be liberated from hospital.
CHRONOLOGY OF HAPPENINGS: HOSPITAL’S VERSION
What is being considered as Yaounde Central
Hospital’s side of the story, is a publication by Dr Roger Etoa whose profile indicates that he works with the Ngoumou District Hospital in Yaounde. He said he spoke to the two gynecologists who were on
duty at the time of the incident but decided not to publish their names for
what he terms confidentiality.
Dr Roger Etoa admitted that Mrs Nkimih arrived for prenatal
consultations and complained of having pelvic pains and contractions.After examining her, Doctors realized that her uterus was open.
The medic said the pregnancy was only 20 weeks old.(normal
pregnancy is 40 weeks according to Dr Etoa). He said the gynecologists confirmed that it was an inevitable delayed abortion and that the only way to
save the situation was to induce labour and cause a forced delivery.
Dr ROGER ETOA : HEALTH SYSTEM CRUMBLING? |
After the process it was discovered that she did not
have quadruplets (four fetuses) but quintuplets (five fetuses). Dr Etoa said
medics explained that the weight of the fetuses was between 300-450 grammes .In
other words that the fetuses were of little vitality and could not survive.
Dr Roger Etoa attempts to explain that the Yaounde
Central Hospital has a maternity but that premature babies are excellently taken
care of, at the nearby Chantal Biya Foundation and that while waiting for an incubator
premature babies are placed under a warm bulb for them to maintain a good
temperature. That was done while the medics were also expecting to conduct a desperate reanimation. He
added that the Nkimihs found an incubator but the children had been confirmed dead.
Dr Etoa said that below 500 grammes, there are no chances that the premature babies would survive and that they could survive if they were are at least 600 grammes each.
Dr Etoa said that below 500 grammes, there are no chances that the premature babies would survive and that they could survive if they were are at least 600 grammes each.
He said all was explained to Mrs Nkimih and they
were surprised to see the issue on social media. The medics at the Yaounde General hospital accuse the Nkimihs of trying to blame nurses and Doctors, a practice they claim was en vogue in Cameroon.
OBSERVATIONS
The observation from the two versions of this
umpteenth scandal is that the absence of incubators caused the death of the
premature quintuplets. Again it is curious that none of the medical officials
bothered to go search for incubators. They turned Mrs Nkimih’s to errand girl.Whose responsibility should that be? The family or the medical
staff? The two versions of the same story clearly show that the
Yaounde Central Hospital and the Chantal Biya Foundation as well as the other
hospitals in Yaounde are in need of incubators.
DEATH TRAP LIKE LAQUINTINIE? |
We must all note that it is written
no where in the hospital book that the quadruplets died
before they were born. Madame Nkimih confirms seeing the babies alive and
pleaded that an incubator be brought.
If we may go by the weight of the babies
in the hospital book and what the medics are trying to explain there is serious
controversy. If we go by the weight in the hospital book and what Dr Etoa
postulates there are indications that if there were incubators the babies would
have certainly survived.
While waiting for another ‘version’
of this scandal from the Ministry of Public Health, what happened at
Laquantinie and now at Yaounde Central Hospital is indicative of the fact that
Cameroonian hospitals which ought to take care of patients are seriously sick.
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