She almost lost her life, baby over bribe

Giving birth in Uganda is still a challenge for mothers, despite Government’s efforts to make the process affordable and safe. Being her first pregnancy, Lillian Namusisi, 21, was ignorant about the reality on the ground until she came face-to-face with it.

When she went into labour at around 1:00am on Friday last week, Namusisi packed her delivery essentials and rushed to Mukono Health Centre IV, where she had been going for antenatal care. During her antenatal visits, Namusisi had been assured that she would have a normal birth. But to her surprise, after being examined by the doctor, the nurse on duty, Alex Namara, told her that she had developed complications and could only deliver by caesarian section.

The news left Namusisi sweating profusely because normal delivery was free at the health centre, but with a caesarean section, she had to part with sh200,000, yet she only had sh60,000. Namusisi’ husband, Deo Muyobe, a causal labourer, had travelled to Mbale, but even if he was around, Namusisi said he could not raise the money. She asked Good Samaritans at the health centre to come to her rescue and one man offered her sh40,000.

There reached a moment when getting an extra coin from Namusisi was like squeezing water from a rock, but the nurse was not about to let her be operated upon. “We are not the ones killing you, but your husband. How can he fail to raise sh200,000?” the nurse reportedly asked.

From 2:00am when Namusisi was first examined, to 6:00pm, Namusisi was pleading with the nurse, who warned that she would be transferred to Kawolo Hospital, if she failed to raise the money. But referring Namusisi to Kawolo, which is 22km away, was like condemning her to death.

When Namusisi’s mother, Rose Nalongo, heard about her daughter’s condition, she rushed to the health centre, but she, too, did not have the money. She first offered to sell off her cow and pay the bill if her daughter was operated upon, but the nurse dismissed her proposal outrightly.

Nalongo then rang the deputy RDC of Mukono, Yahaya Were, for help. She got Were’s contacts when he attended a security meeting at her village in Kyetume in Nakisunga sub-county. Were, who was on duty somewhere, suspended whatever he was doing and rushed to the health centre. “We have been receiving complaints that nurses and doctors at the health centres charge fees from patients. I rushed there to confirm this,” Were said.

When Were arrived, he had the nurse arrested and rushed Namusisi to the nearby Mukono Health Centre (Namirembe).

The nurse and the in-charge of the hospital, Dr. Geoffrey Kasirye, made statements at the Police Station, but Namara says she was sent by the doctor to ask for the money. The Police said investigations into the matter were underway and that the two may be charged with negligence of duty.

Dr. Dickson Wabwire, the in-charge of Namirembe Health Centre, said:” It is not professional for health workers to ask for money from dying patients before helping them out.”

Health ministry permanent secretary Dr. Asuman Lukwago said they were investigating the two health workers. “If our investigations prove what we saw on TV, the nurse will be de-registered. If the doctor is found guilty, he will get a similar punishment,” Lukwago said.

Namusisi has named her baby Emmy, short for Emmanuel, which means ‘God is with us’.