Durban - The deaths of more than 170 newborns at a Phoenix hospital over the past 18 months and the stillbirths recorded, were “not shocking” if put into proper perspective, said Health MEC Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo.
It was revealed that 1 268 deaths and 224 stillbirths were recorded at Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Hospital between January and December last year.
Between January and July this year, there were 734 deaths and 129 stillbirths recorded. It was also revealed that 177 newborns died at the hospital over the past 18 months and there were nine maternal deaths.
But Dhlomo said on Tuesday that many of the babies were born prematurely and did not have much chance of survival.
He said that of the 77 babies born at the hospital this year who weighed between 500g and 700g, 55 had died.
“But these figures are not shocking if put into context,” he told a parliamentary health portfolio committee meeting in Pietermaritzburg. “It is difficult to save a baby that is born pre-term, who weighs so little.
“While our staff try their best to save lives, they cannot perform miracles,” Dhlomo said, adding that the negative publicity demotivated health professionals.
Dhlomo was replying to a recent DA parliamentary enquiry and media reports that the hospital has reported an increase in mortality rates, not only of adults and children, but also of newborns.
He said that even in First World countries, medical staff battled to save babies who weighed under a kilogram. The MEC said that he was unimpressed with certain parliamentary officials who took it upon themselves to “splash” comments in the media and who alarmed the public unnecessarily.
Dhlomo’s comments come on the back of recent statements made by DA MPL George Mari, who has called on the MEC to launch an investigation into Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Hospital, once dubbed the “Hospital of Death”.
Mari said he still wanted the investigation to go ahead.
Daily News