District compensates family of dead patient

By Patrick Jaramogi                         

Nakaseke District Local Government has adhered to a High Court decision that ordered it to pay sh35m as compensation to David Mugerwa who lost his wife due to negligent acts at the district's hospital.

The Nakaseke District Chief Administrative Officer on Friday handed over a cheque worth sh9.4m as part payment to the bereaved father of three.

Irene Nanteza died in labor due to negligence of employees of Nakaseke District Hospital.

As a result, her family was awarded sh35m by court to compensate for her death. High Court judge Justice Benjamin Kabiito decided it was a violation of human and maternal rights of the deceased.

Mugwera received the partial payment at the Center for Health Human Rights and Development (CEHURD) offices in Kampala.

He said that much as the compensation cannot bring back his wife, it will help him clear school dues for their three children and also help him start income-generating activities to supplement his earnings.

“I can’t have a fee to tag for my late dear wife. I had initially computed costs worth sh150m, but court awarded my family sh35m. I thank God that just after two months after the court ruling, the first payment has come,” said the 41-year-old.

Arrived late

Mugwera, with the help of CEHURD, in May sued the hospital over his wife’s death, citing negligence on the part of the health facility.

Nanteza was taken to the hospital on May 5, 2012 by her husband to deliver a baby. While at the hospital, a nurse detected that she suffered an obstructed labor that required urgent intervention by a doctor.

The doctor on duty arrived at the hospital eight hours later – when it was already too late for any medical intervention to reverse the haemorrhage that had arisen due to the ruptured uterus.

The expectant mother died moments later.

While delivering his judgment to the three-year case on April 30 this year, Justice Benjamin Kabiito concluded that Nanteza’s human and maternal rights, rights to basic medical care and the rights of her children and husband were violated.

Nakaseke District Hospital was found liable for the acts of the doctor and hospital administrator who failed to ensure the provision of emergency obstetric care urgently required by the patient.

When Mugwera was being given the cheque, CEHURD’s executive director Mose Mulumba applauded Nakaseke District Local Government for taking urgent steps to meet the orders issued by court.

“We also take cognizance of the improvement in Nakaseke District Hospital after the determination of the case,” he added.

Nakaseke Hopistal now has new outpatient department, two theaters, and three isolation awards, on top of adequate supervision measures.