Evidence Chipadza
MVUMA: Several women’s organisations, through the help of the Mvuma Residents Association are demanding for justice of Constance Nyongwa (27) a popular vendor who died while giving birth on her own due to alleged negligence by Mvuma Hospital staff.
It was reported that Nyongwa went to the hospital on Monday at 8 am after she felt labour pains.
Upon arrival, she was told to wait before they could attend to her. Until 1 PM Nyongwa had not been attended and she left the hospital to cook food.
She was later accompanied by her friend to the hospital.
Chairperson for the Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe (WCOZ) Gweru Chapter, Nozipho Rutsate said the coalition is partnering with Mvuma residents so that justice is served.
“This is a very unfortunate incident. No woman deserves to die during childbirth. We want the District Medical Officer (DMO) to give us answers. We also need our health public health system to give the services that are required especially for pregnant women,” said Rutsate.
A close friend who declined to be named said nurses at Mvuma Hospital neglected Nyongwa to the extent of her death.
“I was called around 10 pm as the next kin and the nurse told me about Nyongwa’s death. This could have been avoided if the medical staff had attended her,” she said.
Contacted for comment, District Medical Officer (DMO) DR Simbarashe Maunga said the hospital has set up an audit to do thorough investigations.
“The details of this unfortunate incident are still very sketchy so we are waiting for the audit report which will bring out the findings,” he said.
Be that as it may, Mvuma management claims that they never saw the deceased in question at the hospital; a move that has been detected as a cover-up.
A close source who was part of the delegation that met with the hospital management on Monday said Mvuma Hospital is at fault.
“This is very impossible. The staff says they never met Constance, so it simply means that no one was on duty when Nyongwa died. How can they claim that Constance never visited the hospital when she died in the same hospital,” he said.
Meanwhile, Nyongwa was survived by 2 boys aged 7 and 9. She was buried in Chiredzi under Chief Tshovani, Village 3.
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