Princess Marina �cooked� my newborn alive
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Friday January 19, 2018 15:22
The young son, who is Askeur’s first child, survived the incident. The young mother is suing the Hospital, the permanent secretary in the Health and Wellness ministry and the Attorney General over the June 2016 incident.
According to court papers prepared by her lawyer Tuelo Sethapo, Askeur’s is demanding compensation for “a negligent act/medical malpractice by the defendant’s agents causing Askeur’s child to suffer from psychological trauma, pain and suffering and future medical expenses and permanent disfigurement. The defendants are vicariously liable for the negligent act of their agents”.
The newborn was left permanently disfigured by the incident, losing part of the heel of his foot in an incident which Askeur’s lawyer says left the baby essentially being boiled alive in hot water. “On and around June 2016, Askeur was admitted at Princess Marina Hospital,” reads a filing from Sethapo.
“The plaintiff gave birth to her ‘minor child’ prematurely. On the same date and immediately after the premature minor child herein was born, the child was taken by nurses.
“Within possible two hours or less, Askeur was approached by three doctors who informed the plaintiff that the premature minor child had been taken to the incubator. (They said) during the incubation the minor child had suffered burns. The burns were caused by the hot water which the said nurses used to warm the minor child.”
Sethapo further argues that the water bottles used to warm the minor child were not properly closed, leading to the hot water and/or extra hot water to spill and flow from the said bottles.
“The said boiling water immersed the tiny premature minor child. The minor child was cooked and suffered iatrogenic burns. The minor child was left with open terrifying third degree wounds all over his little body.
The minor child was also left with a half heel of the foot. The half part of the minor child’s heel was fully cooked and fell out or detached itself from the rest of the heel,” court papers reads.
The paper says the child was severely burned from his tiny leg, thigh, across his left hip and towards the left side of his stomach. His leg now cannot move or be in a straight position. The child also suffered severe and deep burns on his right lower back up to the upper back. The said burn was “terrifying” and left an open wound.
The child also suffered burns on his left side of the head and severe burns on his left arm.
“The said burns were so severe in that the child’s arm can no longer be straightened or flexibly moved, unless with the use of surgery every now and then when his body grows. The minor child’s aforesaid burns also affected the minor child’s internal organs and caused renal failure,” Sethapo wrote.
Askeur’s lawyer says due to the negligent acts, the baby’s body will never be normal again. In addition, the young mother says her consent was not sought before the incubation of the baby.
“It is the Askeur’s contention that no consent or informed consent was sought by or granted to the defendant’s employees for the incubation of the aforesaid minor child. Nor was Askeur informed of the means to be used for the incubation of the said premature child. It is further Askeur’s contention that she does not take it that a qualified provider of public medical services/defendants would place and burn the minor child with hot water unless if the service provider, its agents/defendants are and were negligent.”
The P5 million in damages Askeur is seeking includes compensation for expenses associated with damages to the baby’s body, as well as emotional shock and trauma and pain and suffering.
Princess Marina, however, is defending the suit. The hospital, through the Attorney General, has denied any wrongdoing in the matter.
Attorney Tshepo Kgaswanyane says the defendants took all necessary steps to ensure that the patient did not pass on.
“The defendants deny that there was any spillage or ‘cooking’ of the patient from the water bottles used to warm the patient up. Further that, apart from the use of said water bottles, the patient would have passed on. The defendants deny that boiling water was used in the water bottles. Instead, warm water was used to warm the patient up,” Kgaswanyane says in responding documents.
The attorney says the defendants deny any negligence/malpractice in their actions “in ensuring that the patient survived”. The case is due before the Gaborone High Court soon.