Cameroon’s Public Health Minister has ordered an investigation into the death of a 7-weeks-old baby at the Jordan Medical Services on April 2, 2023.
Dr. Manaouda Malachie visited the hospital facility this April 10 to probe into the cause of the little Andrea’s death. She died barely 7-weeks after birth.
The Public Health Minister was visibly displeased with a number of professional lapses that probably led to the death of the baby.
Responses to the Minister’s questions revealed a litany of professional lapses from staff of the facility Dr. Manaouda Malachie found out that there was no pediatrician when the baby was rushed to the hospital facility. Consequently, the baby was consulted on phone and attended to by an unqualified personnel who received instructions to perform a lumber puncture on phone. The hospital management indicated that the baby’s family had objected to the lumber puncture, but later consented verbally with no written agreement to that effect.
Failing to provide convincing responses to the causes of the baby’s death and why the baby was not referred to a better health facility for proper care, the Public Health Minister ordered an administrative investigation into the case.
Besides the risk of sanctions looming over the hospital, the medical doctor who reported on the case is a civil servant who has deserted his duty post, Dr. Manaouda said.
Aside issues relating to the baby’s death, are other concerns the Minister also frowned at. Among them is the display of perfumes in the pharmacy, absence of mosquito nets in wards, and disrespect of authorization of the Jordan Medical Services; a category C health faculty that has gone beyond the limits of its authorization.
His visit comes days after that of Douala and Nkongsamba where he probed into a purported missing baby and another who got burnt in a nursery when it caught fire. The incident was caused by short circuit owing to irregular power supply.
Dr. Manaouda Malachie has embarked on improving the health care offer to infants and mothers in the country following a series of unfortunate incidents in hospitals.
Kathy Neba Sina
