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Pamela Shumba, Senior Reporter
POLICE have questioned a nurse in Lupane after receiving a tip-off that she was to blame for the death of a new born baby delivered at a local clinic.

Sr Ella Phiri reportedly administered injections to the baby at Lake Alice Clinic in a bid to stop her from continuously crying in September last year, but police have since been tipped off by some medical staff that the midwife’s actions could have caused the baby’s death.

The mother of the new born baby did not make a report.

Matabeleland North provincial medical director Dr Nyasha Masuka yesterday confirmed that police were investigating the matter. “Police went to the clinic to investigate acting on a tip off. I can’t confirm anything until I get an official report from the district medical officer.

“I would like the mother of the child to make an official complaint so that the issue can be dealt with professionally,” said Dr Masuka.

Sources at the clinic told The Chronicle that police came to the clinic for investigations after receiving a tip-off on the baby’s death.

Police are said to interested in interviewing two student nurses that were present when the injections were administered.

The baby is said to have been “paralysed” by the injections and died on the way to St Luke’s Hospital.

“A woman gave birth to a baby girl at the clinic on September 27 last year and she was assisted by Sr Phiri. Weighing three kilogrammes, the baby was healthy and normal but she was crying continuously and not breastfeeding because the mother’s breasts were not yet producing milk.

“Sr Phiri gave the mother a bottle so that she could squeeze some milk into it and feed the baby,” said an employee at the clinic who refused to be named.

The source said the baby, however, continued crying until September 29, when Sr Phiri administered an injection in the presence of a student nurse only identified as Munkuli.

“She advised the mother to bath her baby in cold water. At around 2PM on the same day, Phiri returned to the ward in the company of Munkuli and another student nurse called Gumpo.

“The baby was still crying and Sr Phiri administered another injection. The baby suddenly became sick and looked paralysed. She stopped drinking milk and started breathing with difficulty. Sr Phiri used oxygen equipment to assist the baby but her situation deteriorated,” said a source.

The source said Sr Phiri called for an ambulance from St Luke’s Hospital in Lupane, which took the baby but she died before arrival at the hospital.

She reportedly admitted to the police that she administered Benzylpenicillin Sodium but did not record it.

@pamelashumba1