Susan Nanfuma 30, checked in at Luwero hospital on Friday, February 25th, 2022 with labour pains. However, doctors pronounced her dead around 10 pm on Saturday night after delivery through a c-section.
Nanfuma was laid to rest at Wakyato sub-county in Nakaseke district on Monday this week. Her relatives blame her death on extortion and shortage of medical supplies at Luwero hospital.
The deceased’s husband, Vincent Mugerwa, says when his wife checked in the hospital, a doctor asked for Shillings 300,000 to conduct a cesarean section on her.
Mugerwa says that although he was against paying the money because they were at a government hospital, he gave in to desperation. He explains that at around 9:30 pm, doctors asked him to look around for the blood because his patient needed it after the operation.
Mugerwa says that he rushed to Bishop Ceaser Asili hospital, where he received a phone call informing him that his wife had died.
Mugerwa’s brother, Tom Ssegujja, says that on top-paying Shillings 300, 000, the health workers asked them for another Shillings 50,000 to treat the body.
Ssegujja says that apart from the shortage of medical supplies, they are disappointed with the payments for every service at the hospital.
He wants the Ministry of Health to investigate the administration of the hospital, saying that they have lost trust in them because of repeated cases of extortion and inadequate medical supplies leading to the death of mothers
Dr. Steven Magera, the Medical Superintendent of Luwero hospital had confirmed the death of the mother but blamed it on the absence of blood group 0 negative, which is a rare type that was needed for transfusion after the cesarean operation.
Magera says that they also made contact with Nakasero blood bank but they couldn’t find this type of blood and they had nothing to do to save the mother. Magera said he was not aware that a doctor asked for the money before conducting the operation and promised to investigate it.
Nanfuma is survived by three children including her newborn baby who has since been transferred to Kiwoko hospital for further treatment.
This is the second woman to die at Luwero hospital within less than two months. On January 15th, 2022, Specioza Nabasinga 36, and resident of Kakabala village also died at Luwero hospital.
The bereaved family claimed that she died because of their failure to raise the Shillings 200,000 the doctor asked for to operate on her.
The State House Health Monitoring Unit is still investigating the matter but the doctor who lead the operation fled and refused to record a statement at Luwero Central Police Station.
About 15 women died in Luwero in the financial year 2020/2021 during delivery.
