Swakop hospital accused of abandoning premature babies

Some concerned Swakopmund residents have accused nurses at Swakopmund State Hospital of not attending to premature babies.

Keren Till, who has had two babies in the neonatal intensive care unit in the past herself, this week said she was shocked to discover the lack of oversight and potential risks to premature newborns.

“I had two premature babies and I know how heart-wrenching and stressful each day is,” she said.

Till was at the hospital to assist a minor mother (15) who delivered a premature baby girl three months early on Wednesday with a breast pump after a call for assistance was sounded on social media.

During her visit, Till said she witnessed the premature baby, weighing only 1,1kg, being left unattended in an incubator.
“I was utterly shocked. I counted at least three brand new incubators that were empty and there were babies that definitely should have been in one of those,” she said.

“The lack of empathy, the indifferent nursing staff and the sheer neglect were heartbreaking. Tiny babies were left unattended in outdated incubators while state-of-the-art equipment stood unused.”

Till was further disturbed by the alleged absence of medical staff in the unit.

“I could have walked into the ICU myself without anyone stopping me. It’s a dangerous situation, as babies can crash and die in seconds,” she said.

Her account is corroborated by comments on social media.

Heike Louw raised concerns about the potential misuse of donated equipment, and Kota Viviers pointed out the discrepancy between official statements and the reality on the ground.

Viviers criticised the government for misusing taxpayer funds instead of investing in specialised nursing staff.

She emphasised the plight of mothers who are unable to seek private care and must rely on the overburdened public healthcare system.

The mother of the minor who gave birth to a premature baby added she was not allowed to see her granddaughter at the hospital.

“I don’t know how the little one is. The medical staff refuses to allow me to see or visit the baby. They only allow my daughter, but she is a minor. They should understand that and allow me access too,” she said.

The names of the mother, child and baby cannot be mentioned due to the minor’s status.

The minor mother, who still attends school, and baby are allegedly supposed to stay in the hospital for three months until the baby is stronger.

Erongo health director Anna Jonas this week emphasised the importance of following established procedures and protocols.

“The neonatal unit is where we are keeping our very small babies who are vulnerable to infection. So we don’t allow any other person to go in just like that. It is very limited because of their vulnerability,” she said.

She said the babies are in incubators and need specialised care.

The mothers are allowed at certain times.

“There are reasons for this, which is all about the babies’ health,” Jonas said.

Regarding patients lying in corridors, Jonas said the hospital’s unit is small, and there are about five incubators.

The demand is big, and if the unit is full, they would transport patients to Windhoek, provided there is space.

“Patients have not been turned away. In such cases, temporary measures have been implemented to accommodate the increased demand,” she said.

With regards to the state-of-the-art incubators not being used, Jonas said old incubators are used because they are probably still functional.

“If the old ones are not functional, then obviously we will replace them,” she said.

Jonas confirmed that the construction of Swakopmund State Hospital’s new prenatal unit was delayed due to contractual issues, but said the new facility is expected to be completed in February 2025.