Mother gives birth outside clinic closed for decontamination

The effects of Covid-19 in Mpumalanga are being felt in every corner and aspect of life as a young mother was forced to give birth outside the KaNyamazane Clinic on Thursday. The health facility was closed for decontamination due to a staff member having tested positive for the virus.

According to Lewisa Shabangu (71), one of the people who witnessed the incident, the community had to intervene. She said the young woman looked terrified, and it was her first child. Shabangu had been at the local clinic for an appointment.

“I arrived at around 05:30 and decided to wait outside the gate as it was closed. Security approached me and explained that a young woman was about to give birth and needed assistance immediately. At first I refused to help, because I was concerned that I might be breaking the law. Security insisted that I should assist as the situation was not looking good. I decided to go and help her,” she explained. Shabangu was joined by other women who were also waiting for the clinic to open.

“We assisted and it was long before she delivered a baby girl. It was not an easy thing to do for all of us, although it was not easy to just look away. Fortunately for her, the nurses arrived right after she had given birth. We were concerned about the little baby’s well-being.”

The 71-year-old said she asked the new mother to name the baby after her.

“When I got baptised at church they gave me the name Fatima, so the mother named her after me,” she said.

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The spokesperson for the provincial Department of Health (DoH), Dumisani Malamule, said the department is appealing to the public to use a different facility if the nearest one is closed for decontamination.

“If there is a Covid-19 case at a clinic, the department immediately closes that facility for decontamination. We appeal to the public to use the nearest health facility or call an ambulance for an emergency situation.”

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The DoH urged the public to avoid superspreader events such as parties, funerals, large gatherings and soccer tournaments. “Let’s wear masks, adhere to social distancing and wash our hands to stop the spread of the virus,” said Malamule. At the time of going to press, Mpumalanga News had not managed to track down the new mother.