It has been three years of agony for a Ngqeleni family who say they are still searching for answers after their newborn mysteriously disappeared at Dora Nginza Hospital in Gqeberha.
The department of health said the baby did not disappear, but died shortly after the mother had given birth. The family, however, still have questions years later.
Lindeka Menu, 31, gave birth to a baby boy at the hospital on August 1 2021, but said she never got to see her baby.
“We were planning to name him [Aphila], however, after I delivered the baby, he was taken away from me. I could not give him a name and to this day I never saw him,” a distraught Lindeka said.
Her sister-in-law, Andiswa Menu, said Lindeka was still struggling to cope with the ordeal.
“Lindeka has been emotionally and mentally affected by her child’s disappearance.”
She claimed that after Lindeka was admitted, the hospital had contacted her husband, Thobilizwe Menu.
He was reportedly told that his wife had given birth and he should bring baby clothes to the hospital for their newborn son.
He was also told his wife had to remain in hospital because of complications while she was in labour.
“I was given a number by her husband saying the number is for the hospital [and] I should call it when I want an update about Lindeka’s health,” Andiswa said.
“After two weeks I called the hospital. They said the mother is still unstable but the baby is fine,” she claimed.
“I kept on calling to check up. I was later told she has been transferred to Livingstone Hospital.
“I was then given a number to call for updates while she was at Livingstone. Because of the condition she was in, I could not talk to her.
“I called Livingstone Hospital until I was told she had been transferred back to Dora Nginza Hospital.”
Andiswa said when the family went to fetch Lindeka from hospital in September when she was discharged, they were told the baby had died.
“We were told the baby had died an hour after birth and had been buried by the hospital.
“Out of shock I asked them how, because for about a month they [allegedly] told us the baby was fine, and who did they inform about the child’s death? I got no clear response on that question,” she said.
Andiswa said they only got attention from Dora Nginza after they took the matter to the media, with the hospital asking what it could do for the family.
“We told them we want nothing other than the baby. They told us we will never see the baby as the baby was buried.
“What confuses us the most as the family is that, after a month of being told the baby was fine, we were now told the baby had died an hour after birth and had been buried, and we were only told that when we got to the hospital.
“As the Menu family we want answers from the hospital as to what had happened to our baby. We would like the government to investigate because we do not believe the baby died, as the stories from the hospital are contradictory,” Andiswa said.
Health spokesperson Siyanda Manana maintained the baby had not disappeared from hospital as alleged by the family.
“When the mother arrived at the hospital she was in a critical state,” he said.
“Each circumstance is evaluated and the necessary action is taken in the best interest of the child and the family. The family was counselled but further counselling can be done if the family is still not satisfied.
“The department is aware of the case and it dealt with it. The department facilitated the burial of the child and the counselling.
“We are willing as the department to go again and engage with the family. Other matters are [confidential] between the patient and the department,” Manana said.
The Menus dismissed these claims, saying they had never received any form of counselling from the hospital or department of health.
DispatchLIVE
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.