Malawi hospitals fail to treat boy born with congenital arhinia

A four year-old boy Tiyamike Chakalamba who was born with congenital arhinia is struggling to survive after hospitals’ failure to treat his condition.

Tiyamike was born in April, 2013 at Salima District Hospital whereupon noticing his condition, medical personnel referred him to Kamuzu Central Hospital where he was discharged without being given treatment.

According to Salima District Health Officer (DHO), Bongani Chikwapulo congenital arhinia is a condition related to the formation of the nose whereby it cannot fully develop.

Chikwapula however could not say whether the condition can be reversed through medical surgery or not.

Tiyamike’s father, Macdonald Chakalamba said he feels frustrated because medical people have failed to help his son.

“At first when the boy was born the doctors at Salima District Hospital kept him for a few days to observe him. Later he was referred to Kamuzu Central Hospital and there after we were referred to Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital where we were only told to come back after a year. When we went again nothing was done again and we just left the hospital,” bemoaned Chakalamba.

“It seems like the doctors thought that the baby will die because of his condition as he has no nose and only uses the mouth to breathe, but I have done everything possible for him to be alive,” said Chakalamba.

But to make matters worse for Tiyamike, his parents divorced after a wrangle over his birth and the biological mother has since left the him.

“We divorced sometime this year and my ex-wife has taken the other two children who are able bodied leaving behind Tiyamike due to his disability,” said Chakalamba.

Efforts to talk to Tiyamike’s biological mother were not successful, but her uncle, Custom Daniel said the boy was left with the father after the divorce because the father was not providing necessities for the boy.

“When the two divorced, our sister came here with all the kids, expecting that the father would continue supporting the children, but he was not doing so which is why we decided to take Tiyamike back to him,” said Daniel.

Because of her condition now at four Tiyamike cannot talk, walk, see and breathe properly.

Meanwhile, Tiyamike is living at Kanyenyeva, Traditional Authority Chiwere in Dowa with his grandmother from the paternal side as the father has remarried.