Electricity blackout kills 5 babies in hospital

Five babies are said to have died last night at Dowa district hospital due to power outage.

Nurses who were on night shift held a crisis meeting this morning to discuss the issue.

Women in labour ward delivered in torch light, due to negligence emanating from a faulty back up power generation.

Patient guardians at the hospital say the situation needs urgent attention especially for patients who are on oxygen.

Dowa District Hospital spokesperson Davie Nuka has acknowledged that the back up power generation developed a fault saying it has now been rectified but denied claims that five newly born babies have died.

Escom officials were not immediately available for  comment.