‘Baby delivery’ crisis at KK hospital, women protest

Guardians to expectant mothers in the lakeshore district of Nkhotakota on Monday morning marched to the District Commissioner’s office to express their discontentment following a rise in still births at the district’s hospital.

The women said at least 13 babies have died in the last week during birth, a figure inside sources at the hospital confirmed to Nyasa Times.

One of the guardians, Khadija Makande, 33, said she now sees no reason why government is encouraging them to deliver in hospitals.

“Our babies are dying,” she cried. “The Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) were much better.”

Nkhotakota District Health Officer (DHO) Sosten Nankuwani confirmed the development but said could not comment on what the exact figure of the deaths was.

“I only know about four this week,” he said. “Not thirteen.”

Former president Joyce Banda championed the need for mothers to deliver safely in hospitals during her two year term in office, following the death of Bingu wa Mutharika of cardiac arrest.