Malawian woman gives birth in public transport as hospital grounds ambulances

December 13, 2015 Owen Khamula - Nyasa Times 71 Comments

A woman in her twenties was on Friday forced to give birth in public transport in Dowa after health workers failed to give her ambulance transport from Mponela Health Centre to Dowa District Hospital due to fuel shortage.

Newly born: A woman gave birth in public transport
Newly born: A woman gave birth in public transport

Hospital staff at both Mponela Health Centre and Dowa District Hospital confirmed the incident on Saturday describing it as embarrassing.

The guardian to the lady told the media that on the wee hours of Friday, health personnel at Mponela Health Centre told her there were some complications in the pregnancy and referred the pregnant woman to Dowa District Hospital as a precaution measure in case she would deliver by ceasarian.

However, she said ambulance transport was not provided because of lack of fuel so the two had to jump into public transport, a minibus.

Unfortunately, she said the minibus delayed on the way as it waited for passengers to fill it and drop off some passengers on the way when labour intensified and was forced to give birth to a bouncing baby boy.

The guardian, who is the woman’s mother in law and refused to give her name said this was an embarrassing situation she had never experienced, her grandson born in public transport which drew severe criticism from onlookers had no knowledge of the situation before the birth.

Davie Luka, spokesman for Dowa District Hospital refused to comment on the matter saying he had not been in office lately.

But the incident comes at a time when the government has a full fledged safe motherhood headed by former First Lady Callista Mutharika to ensure that women give birth in hospitals to battle birth related deaths.

The women says the minibus owner has since slapped her with a K15000 fine for giving birth in his minibus, a figure she says she would not be able to pay because she is poor, that is why she failed to hire a car to Dowa District Hospital.

 

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71 replies on “Malawian woman gives birth in public transport as hospital grounds ambulances”

  1. thanks amayi kuti munayesetsa kupita ku chipatala. but next time mudzayesese kupita mofulumira. congratulations for the baby but sorry for the minibus delivery

  3. Doctors have lied to pregnant woman that she will go under ceasarian process since there’s no complication here.

  7. Shame on Madam Getrude Muthalika and his husband Peter.Ndiye muziti DPP a Malawi ndimakulirani pomulora ameneyu alamulire simunathe vuto lokwatira mahule ndilimeneli

  10. Safe motherhood was established to prepare pregnant women to go to antenatal care instead of giving birth in the villages by unskilled women.This is done as required depending on the pregnancy risk.This lady according to the story did not meet this fate due to inadequacy of safe motherhood. Read again!
    Whilst people are blaming the government and some on the taxi Driver, I can not spare the pregnant woman and her husband.They should have explained to the Driver about their situation and asked him to rush with them to the hospital.It is the responsibility of every husband to ensure they save what ever they could to cushion unforeseeable events during pregnancy like this. Kunyera pa msewu nkulinga mbalume. Osangoziwa kutambasula miyendi ya mzimai mosakonzekera chakuzacho!
    Ife tinabadwa kulibe ma ambulance. Pregnant mothers used to leave two weeks before delivery and camp there at the hospital.

  11. Peter is not part of this, simukuziwa ma mbulance amakhala akutumikila zina zapakhomo pa madoctors after working hours mu ma health centres mu I dont blame the president here, kuchipatala admn yao ikuyenela kuonap bwino plus azimayi akati tifike gud time ku hosp tiziyesesa

  12. There were some complications? But the baby was born in a mini bus without an operation. Was it really complications or professional error by the nurses? I think with these errors some people are on ARV treatment just because of technical errors by the health prefessionals when in fact the people are not HIV positive.

  19. I do fail to understand some of these comments. By the way; was The President in Mponela? Is it the responsibility of the State President to transport pregnant women to the hospital? Inu Ndi Agalu Kwabasi!!!

  20. Seriously A Malawi are we really human beings or we treat each other ngati zinyama!! Tili ndi umunthu koma!??? I feel so sad for her but happy for her giving birth to a beautiful baby boy…

  22. Very intersting. At times its good to remain quite and enjoy other people’s comments. I have perused the report Owen Khamula. Anyway I do respect your views.
    xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
    However before critising the government over this issue, let remind my fellow medical workers at the Mponela health center. Mpomenela is a very big health center which can handle maternity case or gynaecological issues. I think they learned all procedures for referral of patients to the bigger hospital before serious case is observed in the patient. For sure the health workers are to blame over the issues. The are not well trained. They are lazy bones. They are taking things in politica view. Dont forget dowa is in center. That is what useless Chewas are doing.So BLAME the medical workers at the Mponela health clinic. If they were in Tanzania, Magufuli could have finished them straight away. No compromise. Minister of health, Dr Kumpalume should work on those workers. Gynaecological issues are handled by azamba who have not been trained. What more with these trained nurses unless if Mponela health center is being manned by mare health survelance assistants.Imagine the expectant mother gave birth smoothly, no pain, no complications. Now who is to blame. Referral is done only when the medical situation is bad. But in this case the situation was not bad at all. That is why the patient solver it herself.To me shame should go to health workers at mponela if they are qualified nurses. I think these workers are Chhewa you know Chewas are useless and lazy.
    mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
    Secondly another big share of the blame should go straight to the expectant mother herslf and the guy who father the child. They are useless. Expectant mother should go to health center a month before giving birth. But this woman went to the health center very late.why? Where was the village heaman who are assiting expectant mothers by encouraging them to go to hospitals before 9th month. Did she give birth to premature baby. Amkatomva kukoma ndi mwamna wake.Amunawo amvekere upitabe, akatero mwendo koolokere, kudzala shafiti ngati sadamphweteke kale. This is a 100 percent fault of the family. Umbuli basi.
    ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
    This case has nothing to do with the government. Its the way how we Malawians, we manage ourselves.W are very myopic in our thinking capacity.How can you refer a patient to the referral center before you start helping the patient. ABOVE ALL THE MPONELA HEALTH CENTER HAS BECOME A MARE PLACE FOR RECIEVING PATIENTS AND SENDING THEM TO REFERRALS. TREAT THE FIRST IF THEY DO NOT RESPOND TO YOUR ASSISTANCE THEN, REFER THEM TO REFERRAL HOSPITALS.
    wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww

  24. In the first place, who impregnate this woman? Where was he when this lady was in labour? Second thing, what was this lady thinking when she was 8months in pregnancy? Where was her relatives specifically her mother? In this story, I see a very stupid couple and relatives, not concerned about the motherhood. What were you thinking when you were having sex and later pregnancy? You though APM will spend money for your sex. Noooooo. This in one reason we are not developed. You introduce children to be taken care of by the government. Noooo. You have to learn that having a kid is not just the orgasim. It is responsibility. You cant complain government is responsible for your sperms and eggs. Stupid family. If you think you are poor, don’t dare produce a kid. Ndiamene akumatilemba ntchito chasing them in the streets. 4tseki.

  27. Adalakwa ndi madam amayenera kupita ku camp ngati alikutalindichipatala komanso mayendedwe ndiudindo wabambo kulongosola zimenezo

  29. I knew choosing dpp is choosing death to our mother. What good can come from dpp abale anga? God help us!

  33. Callista what does she know abort health? This Nepotism of giving familj jobs. JB gave This job to an educated qualified midwife butiker because of Muntharkas did not like JB. Malawi politics is the most rotten politics. How can we expect a nation function. Despite Peter benig educated and lived in US does not make a difference of back mentalit. It is Muntharkas Who brought tribalism. Bingu gave self motherhood to Callista. JB gave to a proffesional woman Who was not JBS relative. Proffesional should alaways Come before relation If things shall workout. But not with these two michona brothers. Its too bad for Malawi as a nation. Its Malawians Who have to blame themselves.

  34. Women must deliver in hospital. It’s a shame these occurrences are deemed normal by some idiots.

  36. Ma nusre alero ntiwana tisapola pamcombo,amacita mantha kuciritsa amai oyembekedzera ncfkw cake matenda ocepa amawathamangitsira kucipatala cacikulu ponnamizir kt ndiofunika malezala,ambiriwanso alibe ana sakuudziwa ucembere. Nanunso agogo amwana osacita mantha nd zimenezo,zimactika,zikuctika ndpo zizactkanso even zitakhala kt cipatala ciliconse pali ambulance 100. Agogo amwana jst b proud that ur grandson will b a minibus driver kkkkkkkkkkkk.

  40. That is Malawi but the donor always help this country through DPP Government but money goes into government officials pocke, Shammm to Malawi Gover

  41. kodi ngati zatheka maiyu kuberekera mu minibus . ku mponelako kunalibe anamwino oti akanamuthandiza maiyu?ngati analiko onse ndikuwachosa ntchito.

  42. This is out country after 51 years of independence. Where the president need his plane and the poor give live in puplic transport, because the hospitals have no money to buy fuel???

  43. being the minbus driver I would thank God for such a wonderful blessing..who knows, the the baby might bring goodluck to him…

  44. This is very embarrassing and shameful to us as Malawian people. Our national leadership is just a bunch of crap who are not delivering to the expectations of the citizenry.

    The mini bus owner should have played a good Samaritan role by forgiving the woman not charging 15pin to a poor village girl.

  48. ndiyeno ngati anaphulika bwino bwino mu bus, ma complications amene anawona ku health centre ndi atiwo pamenepa?

    azimayi dziwani kuti kunyengwa plain kumalenga mimba. legs open pa game, legs open pa result. mwini mimba ali kuti? (where is the stomachs owner?) ziiii.

    15 pin mulipila basi, no kukambilana. please name the kid “vannette”

  51. Its news becoz it has been picked up by the media but sadly this is now a daily occurence in Malawi. The other time people were told to disembark from a pickup in order for a woman to give birth between Malembo and Monkey Bay. Our lives have been destined to the dustbin.

  52. This is a very unfortunate development but I believe we should not only blame the government for this. all of us can learn something out of this incidence and start saving a little something when our wives are expectant to be used for transport in case government cannot provide an ambulance.

  53. useless minibus driver .why charging the innocent woman instead of even helping monetary wise .some people can be useless in there heads. To the mother , thank your God that he delivered you before reaching Dowa hospital .we don’t know what would happen with these frequent blackouts there in theater when the operation took place .God has always a way of helping the needy .I believe its Gods arrangement

  55. The minibus owner should take it as a blessing that the child was born in her minibus, why slapping such fine, umunthu ukusowa

  56. Mponela staff golfed,they were thinking of caesarian section yet vaginal delivery occurred.akufunika ma training ma staff amenewa.disgrace to them.

  58. sad news love is missing amongst and I dont know where we will end up.Parliamenterians are happily earning a living on our taxes and we payers only God of abraham knows and let mercy and grace work on the worthless and am a believer even if the world denies us Jesus Christ will never.Thats why he promised to be with us always mathew 28v20.Leave them have joy upon our sweat our justice is Jesus Christ.Very Sad indeed if we suffer today the hospital is for free what more 2morrow once private? And I want to urge my fellow poor people of God even if the rich decides this issue let them push us to deepen our relationship with God believe me miracles will happen in this country.Learn what happened to the Pharisees,Sadducees,High-Priests,Scribes etc, when they took advantange on common poor people by charging them wrongly doing businesses in the name of God on the issue of sacrifice both morning and evenning.The day is comming Jesus Christ will never be fooled. Yes you have got power, money, fame, but not over the God we worship.

  59. This story reminds me of a woman who suffered miscarriage in the minibus while on her way to work, the ironic part of the whole ordeal was the reaction by the minibus driver who happened to be Zulu by tribe. Apparently he offloaded all the passengers and rushed the poor woman to the nearest clinic where he even rendered full support through out the process of registration, contacting her family members and only left her upon assurance that she was in good hands.
    When the woman in question recovered, she couldn’t hold her gratitude and reported the matter to the national broadcaster SABC. It was such an unbelievably touching story considering the hostility between the South Africa’s taxi industry and the public.
    I am shocked by the response by the minibus driver in question who view this as an opportunity to maximize profit without considering the well being of his passengers.
    I sometimes ask myself what’s worthy to denouncing my South African citizenship in fear of xenophobic attacks only to land into another harsheous nation like Malawi. From where I stand Malawi is far worse than South Africa in terms of humanitarian crisis.

  60. It’s a shame how Malawians find a picture of their incompetent president waiting in a queue to board a flight very shameful. Hundreds of comments and calling for government to buy a presidential jet. Yet pictures of a helpless woman like this do not attract the same level of outrage and symphathy. No one is calling for $15 million to be invested in health so that no Malawian woman should experience such suffering! Even the gender activists are silent. Malawi, oh, my Malawi!

  61. Malawi stinks! Generates a feeling like we can’t manage our own affairs. Colonialism minus slavery seems a viable option.That is given the current leadership at all levels.

  63. Why slapping her with a fine. What a crime did this poor woman commit in first place?. For the hospital what else can i say!!!!!!!!

  65. So sad that this is happening in 21st century. Even the minibus owner should have been sympathetic towards the woman.

  66. I Think This Problem Of Fuel Shortage Is Exhausted In All Government Hospital Due To Poor Budget And Unabiltity Of Prioritise Things. Poor Governance In Malawi,. We R Failing To Control Millions

  67. Eni minibus amvereni chisoni mai wa. Sikunali kufuna kwao komanso ndi chilengedwe chapangitsa zimenezi. Mukatero mudzalandira madalitso. Ndi Odalatu amene achitira chifundo anthu osauka!!!

  68. Praise God the baby and mother are both alive. Shame that we have not lived up to our preaching shame on us

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