INFANT and maternal mortality is a tragedy that remains prevalent in South Africa. According to the National Centre for Biotechnology Information the main causes of maternal and child mortality in South Africa are HIV and AIDS, pregnancy and childbirth complications, neonatal illness, childhood illness, and malnutrition, which are all related to poverty and great inequity.
These stories commonly have devastating endings, however this is a success story.
The Dennis Hurley Centre recently saved a young boy who was on the brink of death and are helping to give him to a good life, after his life almost turned out very differently.
The director of the Dennis Hurley Centre, Raymond Perrier said, “This March we had a personal insight into the even more shocking statistic that in South Africa, out of every 1,000 live births, 24 children will die before their first birthday.”
The director tells the story of how the baby was found, “On an unusually busy Tuesday we were informed that a baby had been bought in to the clinic who needed immediate attention.”
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“The baby was tiny, so under-nourished that he hardly wanted to eat, and making almost no noise. One of our patients had discovered the little boy the night before, in the pouring rain, next to the dead body of his mother,” said Perrier.
He said they soon discovered that the baby and mother had been living on an island in the middle of the N3 motorway.
“We initially estimated his age at six or seven months, due to his size and behaviour, and set to work to stabilise him. The police were happy that he was in our care while investigations were made,” said the director.
The staff at the Dennis Hurley Centre immediately became invested in saving the little boy and put their investigative hats on, “Thanks to the good detective work of our team we found out more. A ‘neighbour’ on the island confirmed his mother’s name and that she had given birth at King Edward VIII Hospital,” said Perrier.
“From there, we were able to get details of her family in Hammarsdale and also confirm the baby’s real name, though we call him Thando – which means love,” he said
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Perrier said they also discovered the baby was in fact almost a year old but, because of his severe malnutrition and delayed milestones, he had seemed much younger.
“Our suspicion is that the mother did not seek medical help for herself or her child for fear that the baby would be taken away from her (understandably) and so she put her own life at risk and potentially that of Thando,” said Perrier.
The Dennis Hurley Centre team assisted the family in the burial of Thando’s mother.
“His family are not currently in a position to take him so the plan is for him to stay at Philakade Care Home, which is run by MaryAnn Carpenter who founded our clinic.
That gives us time to sort out his birth registration, birth certificate, and apply for his foster grant, as well as a possible temporary disability grant,” he said.
In the meantime, Perrier said Thando is gaining weight, starting to play and wonderfully!
“He is beginning to make as much noise as a regular one-year-old boy,” said Perrier.
Contrary to what might have happened Thando celebrated his 1st birthday on March 29.
Look out for the rest of Thando’s in the next issue of the Berea Mail.
To help support Thando and other people who require long-term care, you can visit Philakade’s Facebook page.
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