Two medics arrested after baby, mother die in labour
Elgon Regional Police Spokesperson, Rogers Taitika. PHOTO/YAHUDU KITUNZI
What you need to know:
- Police have confirmed the arrests saying that they are now “investigating negligence of duty and corruption.”
Police have arrested and detained two medical officers of Bugobero Health Centre IV in Manafwa District as part of investigations into the death of a pregnant mother and her baby on Friday.
Billa Nambisawa, bled to her death after failing to raise Shs200,000 which the medical officers had reportedly asked for, authorities said.
Police have since arrested a 44-year-old female doctor and a 37-year-old female midwife following the incident, both working at the health facility where the two died.
Elgon Regional Police Spokesperson, Rogers Taitika, confirmed the arrests saying that they are now “investigating the possibility of negligence of duty and corruption.”
“We have arrested them on allegations of neglecting to offer adequate health services to pregnant mothers when they visit the facility for antenatal and also when they go to deliver babies. The arrest of the duo follows the death of a pregnant mother who was allegedly taken to the facility to deliver but she passed on and the baby after being neglected,” Taitika said on Saturday.
Police’s preliminary investigations highlight that the deceased was neglected by the medics leading to her death.
“The suspects were picked from the health facility by the District Police Commander SSP Najib Waiswa and whisked to Manafwa Central Police station where they were detained after recording statements,” Taitika noted.
‘Ruptured uterus’
The suspects face charges of rush and negligent causing death.
Neglect of duty charges attracts a 10-year sentence on conviction, according to the Ugandan law.
Meanwhile, a detective at Manafwa Central Police station who preferred anonymity because he is not allowed to speak to the media, said a postmortem report showed that the woman died due to failure to push the baby, rupturing her uterus.
“Due to neglect after the uterus malfunctioned, Nambisawa bled to death,” the source added.
By press time on Saturday, the case file had already been taken to the resident state attorney for legal advice.
