Dumped Ekwendeni baby dies, hospital to conduct funeral service

A baby that was found dumped in an Ekwendeni graveyard on Monday died Thursday around 3 pm at Ekwendeni Mission Hospital.

Confirming the death Thursday, Ekwendeni Mission Hospital Principal Nursing Officer, Esther Kawelama said the baby died because she was severely bitten by red ants.

“She was bitten by red ants in her ears and private parts; and before she died she vomited a lot of red ants, which I do believe, made a lot of damage in her stomach too,” Kawelama said.

Mzuzu Police Public Relations Officer Martin Bwanali said in a press statement Tuesday that some children who were playing near the cemetery on Monday are the ones that heard a newly born baby crying in the graveyard and alerted elders.

The matter was reported to police who took the baby to the hospital for medical care.

Kawelama said the baby, who was named Grace by the hospital staff, may have been dumped several hours before the Samaritan children found her attacked by the ants.

She has since called on the general public, especially traditional leaders, to be more vigilant and monitor closely pregnant women particularly sex workers to avoid such incidences.

“This is a third incidence that I have seen at the hospital for the past three years. The first one was a boy who was abandoned by her mother; but, lucky enough, the mother was found and took the baby back home. He is now nine years old.

“The second one was a one-year-old baby. Unfortunately, we also lost that one. And today it’s this baby. What about those who are not dumped near our hospital? It means many babies die in such away. We are so sad,” Kawelama said.

She said there is need for the traditional leaders, the police and health personnel to work together to curb the malpractice.

“I suggest that members of the community should be reporting to their chiefs or the nearest police if they see a sex worker pregnant so that she can be monitored closely throughout,” she said.

Meanwhile, Ekwendeni Mission Hospital is set to accord a proper burial to late Grace on Friday. A funeral service will start at 9 am at the hospital before burial at the same cemetery she was dumped.

“We are very sorry to lose this baby, we really wanted it to live,” Kawelama said.

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