Samora Machel resident Lindiwe Nondlwana has placed the blame for the death of her newborn baby on paramedics who allegedly refused to help her when she arrived at the local police station looking for help.
Ms Nondlwana, who was still pregnant at the time, said on the morning of Friday January 27, she felt pain and started bleeding.
She then approached her neighbour who walked with her to the police station where she saw an ambulance and paramedics. But, she claimed, they refused to help and advised her to call for another ambulance because they were rushing to another scene.
“We pleaded, but they were not moved at all. They told us they were waiting for the police to escort them to another patient.
“Even when another policeman asked them, they refused,” she said.
Ms Nondlwana eventually gave birth at the police station after which the paramedics took her to Mitchell’s Plain District Hospital.
Sadly for Ms Nondlwana, the child died as soon as they arrived at the hospital.
The distraught mother is now calling on the authorities to act against the paramedics. “No one should get away with this kind of treatment towards any person. No one deserves this kind of treatment. There should be strict punishment against them,” said Ms Nondlwana. “I do not sleep at night. The death of my newborn child still haunts me.
“I am sure they do not even recall that a life was lost because of their actions. I wish they can feel what I am feeling. Had they taken me to hospital in time, I would not have lost my baby. I spent close to an hour at the police station while they were sleeping in the ambulance. I do not wish them good at all,” she told Vukani.
Robert Daniels, principal communications officer for Emergency Medical Services, said an investigation into the matter had been launched and that the quality assurance department was scrutinising all calls and radio recordings relating to the incident.
“The operational clinical quality improvement team are investigating the operational crews implicated,” he said.
“A fully fledged investigation has been lodged and all parties implicated will be subjected to questioning based on the recordings taken from our quality control telephone systems. One of our representatives will also be contacting and visiting the mother as part of this formal investigation during the course of this week,” he said.
