She may be only 28 days old, but the minute baby has twice defied death.
The premature infant is the only child to have survived after being fed contaminated nutritional drips.
Six other premature babies at the Pelonomi Regional Hospital in Bloemfontein died last week after being given an intravenous drip containing Total Parenteral Nutrition (TPN) - a liquid mixture containing vitamins, fats and dextrose that helps infants to gain weight.
A batch of the liquid, mixed at the hospital's pharmacy, is believed to have been contaminated.
| 'My parents did not know I was pregnant' |
"We cannot say why she is the only one to survive ... We administered the same medicines and antibiotics to the others when we realised they were ill, but they did not make it," a nurse at the hospital's neonatal paediatric unit said.
"You cannot help feeling guilty, even though you know you did everything in your power to save them."
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Last Thursday, the unit was thrown into disarray when the seven babies suddenly fell ill.
The nurse, who did not want to be named, said the infants were monitored on an hourly basis and this was how it was determined that their condition had changed.
"The babies don't normally all take a bad turn at the same time, and we knew something was wrong and began treating them. We did everything we could but only this one survived, and we cannot say why."
But the child's young mother believes her child's survival is based on God's will.
"She is a fighter and a survivor. When I found out I was pregnant, I tried to terminate the pregnancy, but it was unsuccessful.
"Then she was born two months prematurely and could not breathe on her own - and now this. I think God wants my baby to be alive."
The mother, who declined to be identified, said she was still a student and not ready to have a child.
"It was a mistake. My parents did not know I was pregnant until I went into labour.
"But now that she is here, I love her and have accepted her as part of my life. I do not want anything bad to happen to her," the woman said.
Describing the scene at the unit last week, the mother said the staff had been visibly upset.
"They sat near my baby's incubator and cried while they monitored her condition. These nurses have been a great support for me over the past week and I really don't think they did anything to make this happen."
The tiny baby is still in a critical condition but has shown signs of improvement. "She is still on a feed drip and is gaining weight. This gives me great relief," the mother said.
Free State department of health spokesperson Elke de Witt said the parents of the deceased babies and the nurses would be receiving counselling to help them come to terms with the incident.
The hospital's pharmacy unit has been closed down since the tragedy and an outside firm is investigating the area for contamination and/or malfunction.
Samples of the questionable batch and their containers have been sent for tests. The test results are expected to be announced next week.
Meanwhile Gauteng health department spokesperson Popo Maja said on Wednesday night there was no need for concern as the province did not use the particular product involved.
- This article was originally published on page 1 of The Star on March 11, 2004
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