DENOSA has defended the nurse who allegedly turned away a woman in labour at the Burgersfort Clinic in Limpopo. Image via Unsplash
Hlabisa Hospital staff praised for reuniting stolen baby with biological mom
A woman allegedly stole a four-day-old baby and went to Hlabisa Hospital to make a new card pretending to be the mom.
DENOSA has defended the nurse who allegedly turned away a woman in labour at the Burgersfort Clinic in Limpopo. Image via Unsplash
KwaZulu-Natal Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane has applauded Hlabisa Hospital staff and management for their role in the arrest of a woman who had allegedly stolen a four-day-old baby in Mtubatuba town centre earlier this week.
It is alleged that on Tuesday, 14 September, a woman in her mid-20s approached the newborn baby’s mother, and asked if she could make an urgent call from her cell phone. However, because the phone had no airtime the woman sent the baby’s mother to get it.
BABY SNATCHER ARRESTED IN HLABISA HOSPITAL
According to the KZN Department of Health, the woman then gave the mother some money, and offered to hold her baby, while sending the mother to get airtime. The mother, who is in her early 20s, duly complied. However, upon the mother’s return, the woman and her baby were nowhere to be seen. The panic-stricken mother then reported the matter to the police and also wrote about her ordeal on Facebook.
KZN Health spokesperson, Agiza Hlongwane said later on the same day, the alleged thief went to Hlabisa Hospital in a bid to have a hospital card made for the newborn, under the pretence that she was the biological mother. However, when nurses at the Out-Patients Department (OPD) and at maternity questioned her about the newborn and circumstances surrounding his birth, it soon became apparent that her story was incongruent. She was then asked to return to the facility “where she had delivered the baby.”
Hlongwane further said hospital management subsequently checked with the South African Police Service (SAPS) and were able to ascertain that a case of a stolen baby had been registered. The next day the alleged thief visited Hlabisa Hospital once again.
“As staff pretended to assist her, while deliberately delaying the ‘administrative process’ they surreptitiously called the police, who arrived shortly thereafter, along with the baby’s real mother.
“According to the hospital report, there was not a single sign that the woman had recently been pregnant or had given birth.”
Agiza Hlongwane
When the police arrived, the alleged thief was still wearing the same clothes as the day before, and the baby’s mother’s cellphone was also found in her possession. She was then promptly arrested.
The baby was reportedly taken in by the hospital and received medical attention and is still in hospital and under observation for a particular minor ailment.
STAFF AND MANAGEMENT PRAISED BY MEC
MEC Simelane has since commended the hospital’s nurses and doctors for their vigilance and sterling contribution in having the baby reunited with his mother, and for having the alleged baby thief brought to book.
“We would like to commend the nurses and doctors at Hlabisa Hospital for being proactive and alerting the police upon realising that there was something amiss about this situation. We really thank them for what they’ve done. We all need to be vigilant, so we can curb the scourge of baby thefts in our society,” she said.
Simelane also urged mothers not to take chances with their babies.
“A baby isn’t like a bag or object, and must be with you at all times as the mother. Whether you’re going into the store or to the loo, take your baby with you.
“Do not trust anyone, because there are many people out there who are looking for children. Some steal babies because they don’t have them; others sell them; while others murder them and sell their body parts. So, we are really pleading with mothers to look after their children, so that we can get rid of this scourge.”
Nomagugu Simelane
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