FDD President.
Opposition FDD President Edith Nawakwi has claimed that there is a conspiracy at UTH to murder newly born babies.
Ms. Nawakwi has since appealed to Health Minister Dr Joseph Kasonde to take personal interest in the situation at UTH Maternity ward.
She said newly born babies are dying in mysterious ways especially over the past six months.
The FDD leader has also called on Dr Kasonde to immediately declare UTH Maternity wing unfit for deliveries so that urgent works could start on the facility.
Ms. Nawakwi said she suspects that there is an outbreak of Salmonella at UTH which is infecting newly born babies.
Salmonellosis is an infection with bacteria called Salmonella and most persons infected with Salmonella develop diarrhoea, fever, and abdominal cramps 12 to 72 hours after infection.
Ms. Nawakwi said UTH Maternity ward is dirty and susceptible to infections coupled with negligence by staff at UTH hence the high maternal mortality at UTH.
“Our UTH maternity wing should actually be closed. Babies are dying two days after birth due to suspected infestation of bacteria because of dirt in the maternity wing. Maternal health care and child health care is unavailable in this country,” she said.
She added, “This country is probably the only country in the sub region with the highest maternal mortality and I think some of it is due to sheer negligence. Ask Hon. Kasonde why he has not declared UTH Maternity ward unfit for deliveries of babies. There is salmonella which has infested our hospitals and he knows about it.”
“A baby is born and readmitted with 39/40 degrees centigrade and they are dying. I suspect there is an infestation of Salmonella in the maternity wing. I know people close to me who have lost babies under these mysterious circumstances at UTH. A baby is born on Thursday at 10:30, discharged at 15 Hours, readmitted the following day and the child dies and this is not the only case, there are several incidences that have occurred in the last six months.”
Ms. Nawakwi said it is saddening that Epidemiological department at UTH has remained mute over the situation in the Maternity wing.
“There is a conspiracy to murder our newly born babies and I think this is extremely serious that Dr. Kasonde should take personal interest and save our babies from any more deaths. “
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@ anyoko, be objective and discuss issues of national interest rather than displaying your stupidity in public.
great observation madam Nawakwi; not only should you put across the negative side of it but strive to provide solutions by stating exactly what is needed and where deliveries can be sustained if at all the wing is closed for renovations.
Have respect, and how old are you to make a shameful comment like that? Pregnancies are for the old. Anybody who becomes pregnant is old enough. The young ones know everything before they even enrol into pre-school. Unless you do not have a child, you maybe surprised to know that your three year old child has even described your physical features, and complexion of you bums to his class. Nawakwi is a lady. Your comment is insulting. What is wrong of being pregnant @ 50years that may be a bad example to the young?
I can not allow my wife to deliver at UTH. The last time I took her there, all the people who where attending to her were students. I could not stand the treatment we received, that we had to go to Lusaka Trust were we found good nurses like Chola.
My thoughts go out to those who can not afford to go to Lusaka Trust. My advise to them is please go to Kanyama or Chilenje clinics, they are better than UTH.
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@ Anyoko and @ Suntwe
Why are you thinking of “girls” and “young”. Let those go to school.
If you want sexy women, then print that picture of Nawakwi and put it your wallet and show people that she is your woman. And all be going wow wow wow!!
Anyway, my point is that
What do you expect when all the money meant for upkeep of these health institutions are used by one family. Sata is busy squandering aid meant for health institutions by doctor shopping while toting his extended family along to live in lavish hotels and shop from high end stores. Health institutions have the largest aid from the donor community and yet they are always diverted to other unimportant things. Other than that, the nurses at UTH are useless. No common sense and very unprofessional!
LT thank you for deleting those comments.
Keep doing this, we used to have decent way commenting, it is time to start cleaning up!!
@Nostradamus
Look who is talking about decency. You are the most insolent blogger. You are the one that should be banished from blogging here. You spend time lying, insulting and wishing people death. Like Psychiatrist said, you have a very dark deathly mind. You are a lost young man with perhaps a sad up-bring. I am told you are Chanda Chashi (Reuben Mwansa) the Chicago criminal. No wonder the stinky attitude. The worst blogger and unworthy of voting for.
@Tyson, babies are dying and unfortunately you are alive, what unfair distribution of souls.
Even the other day children died on lake Kariba, you were busy fighting Nostradamus.
Ask your friend you fight for what he knows about playing with souls of children. Mukafwa ububi sana imwe…. utupopolo tulemimina. Apologise to their families.
@Tyson Michael
Why are you wasting time with this lunatic. His most sensible pals have deserted him after discovering he is Chanda Chashi (Reuben Mwansa) the Chicago criminal. They do not want to be associated with him. His “vote for me” excitement has been deflated–completely wiped out by his atrocious behavior. Leave this young man to the sick.
There is so much rot going on in other facets of development. The one dimensional approach to development dubbed “Zambia is a construction site” has just messed up the balance of our economic strategy.
Ati salmonella outbreak? Isn’t that a disease for chickens?
The cry at UTH especially maternity wing has been there years on end. It seems our political leaders are good at rendering lip service, especially when they are in the opposition. One stunningly beautiful EDITH ZEWELANI NAWAKWI Nawakwi was once a cabinet minister in some government and tyhe conditions at UTH maternity remained pathetic. Is this the same Nawakwi? Just thinking…
kikikiki, its like telling your child that ‘ time in memorial we walked on foot to chool and carried books in plastic bags, therefore child wal on foot carry the books in plastic bags, after u are not the only one.’ meanwhile you have the capacity to hire a vehicle or take them to school in your car; and can manage to buy a a good book carrier. kikiki pa zed
That place is pathetic , mums with horrible experiences can shock you with what they have seen! thanks Ba Edith.
Pipo let’s be objective when we are contributing to national issues,what president Nawakwi has observed at UTH is very true ,now let’s find solutions to advice the Government so that dying of children should be avoided. Tomorrow it will be u in the same situation.
Guys admit it, Zambia is a backward deveroping countrie.
That is why we are hear to help.
Plis join us to deverop the countrie.
Bye.
You are really Chinese but China is also a developing nation, a 3rd world country. It is in the same category as Zambia, so help on your country first then come to Zambia.
Standing out fit to be first woman President
@anyoko, hakapuba, etc, whats in your heads? eh? A senior citizen and our mother puts up an observation and all you can think is insults, eh? have you just owned computers today, eh?
To the contrary, UTH still has the BEST medical doctors/nurses in Zambia. Almost all the private hospitals depend on the experts from UTH. Simply because Nawakwi and a few others can afford to pay for the same services at private hospitals does not make UTH unfit. Its a known fact that when the private hospitals fail which they usually do, these cases end up at UTH. And by the way was UTH any better when Nawakwi was Finance Minister or has she just woken up today in order to POLITIC?
So just because UTH was a gutter when MMD was in power it is justifiable for the same to continue? Shouldn’t people improve as time goes on? We should not complain because we lived in squalor. It is tiring to reason; conclusion? two wrongs in Zambia make a right.
Yes, i totally agree with u “UTH still has the BEST medical doctors/nurses in Zambia”, but the place is just too dirty and filth. We just need to improve on the environment. while this so called private hospitals have very clean places, such that once you are admitted you even feel you are in the hotel, but full of Congolese doctors or UTH specialist doctor who pass through once per week. coming to Nawakwi issue, with what I have seen at UTH its possible to have such out break. The fun thing at UTH is if you try to go to high cost, the nurses will tell you that, you are better off to low cost/General, because at night there no doctors here and best treat is in low cost. Here you will only get a clean toilet. next time i will take a picture of Admission ward
Surely have you not seen the improvements being made at UTH in terms of physical infrastructure and equipment. Things cannot all change overnight. UTH is surely better than it was a few years ago. The private hospitals appear clean mostly because they have less traffic and clients pay well. Apart from cleanliness their expertise is VERY limited. People go to the hospital primarily for medical expertise, cleanliness though very important is always a secondary matter. I would rather go to a hospital where am assured of expert medical advice than a clean hospital with limited expertise but very clean unless my house was dirty.
This is what a good citizen should do. Not politics every time you see a mistake.
madam nawakwi ,in as much as we know that things at uth need serious improvement i believe its best to be objective and not rush to ‘ ignorant conclusions ati salmonella!’ did u test the place for salmonella? have u presented your test results to uth and they havent acted on them? U of all people should get your facts right before u talk.
Please Anyoko alone! That is his observation. Why are you attacking him as though are the one who………….
@Cycle. Why get hot tempered about Anyoko’s comment? Kapena ndi iwe…….
is nawakwe sure of what she is saying or its just another unfunded political tantrums? what are the consequences of alarming the nation like this. the allegation is easy to prove true or force and I hope nawakwe is ready for the truth. MOH we need a true statement from you not a political one.
I cannot comment on the state of UTH because I no longer live in Zambia. However, I think Nawakwi is careless about isolating salmonella of all things that can go wrong with a newly born baby. To state that “I think there is salmonella” is all illusionally about a leader; and a leader cannot make any decisions on ” I think” which is no more real than day dreaming. Let her get facts about the number of babies who died and survived over a specific period, the duration of the infections that caused death, and then advised alternative that the government can do after closing the wing. And allegations that there is “a conspiracy to murder babies”…the medical personnel can sue for damages if wanted easy money
IFIKO FYAMU UTH IS WHAT IS KILLING THOSE BABIES
the place is like a death camp not a hospital… i remember taking a sick person there and ended up panicking that i would catch something nasty from that place. You cannot even push wheelchairs properly because of potholes within the hospital premises “deathtrap”
babies lips are eaten by cockroaches and rats!!! That’s not a hospital no wonder the elite Zambians go abroad for treatment.
IFIKO FYAMU UTH IS WHAT IS KILLING THOSE BABIES
the place is like a death trap not a hospital… i remember taking a sick person there and ended up panicking that i would catch something nasty from that place.
You cannot even push wheelchairs properly because of potholes within the hospital premises “deathtrap”
babies are eaten by cockroaches and rats!!! That’s not a hospital no wonder the elite Zambians go abroad for treatment.
newly borns are eaten by cockroaches and rats!!!
One would expect high profile politicians like Madam Nawakwi to make well researched pronouncements, which are scientifically correct. But alas….
UTH has less than 8 nurses conducting more than 80 deliveries per shift- a ratio of 1/10 as opposed to the recommended 2 midwives per 1 parturient (woman in labour). So one cannot expect miracles.
And when she says there is a conspiracy to kill babies, is she implying health personnel at UTH deliberately lace newborn babies with the germ (salmonella)?
Coming from a lady of high societal standing, this sounds rather absurd, and will only serve to scare women, to most of whom UTH is the only life-line.
And who is not aware that ALL the private Hospitals people are praising refer their patients to UTH when they meet complexities?
The…
No wonder the rich Zambians go abroad for treatment. bakoswe ne mpemfu balasuma abana abafyalwa… thats why the babies are dying
UTH has rats and cockroaches that bite!!
UTH is the most disgusting and filthy hospital i’ve ever seen. luckily only went there to visit other people.
WHO WAS MINISTER OF FINANCE AT THE HEIGHT OF TE ZAMTROP SLUSH FUND SCANDALS??
THIS STATEMENT IS ALARMIST IF NOT BACKED BY FACTS.
SALMONELLA IS AN INFECTIOUS DISEASE FOUND IN PREGNANT WOMEN WHO EAT INFECTED CHICKEN OR EGGS.
Anyone can get salmonella food poisoning if they eat contaminated food, not just pregnant women
Madam, Nawakwi; what is difference between the UTH of today and the UTH that existed during your regime? do you recall that your regime fired over 200 striking doctors? are you aware of the deaths that were cased by firing those doctors? Are also aware that it is only your regime in the history of Zambia that fired such a large number of doctors who were just striking about the poor working environment (no gloves, no drugs, etc)
Yes she looks pregnant i so her recently and she will be going to UTH for delivering soon.
Thanks madam for bringing this out.
Apart from this issue which you have brought up, their are also other disturbing problems which need to be invistigated.
on 26 january 2014, my wife delivered right at the same place, but the treatment which she received while in the delivery ward was very bad as if these nurses are not trained. she was left to deliver alone without any body attending to her. some of the young mothers had their newly born babies born on the floor. the problem of corruption is also on the increase. if you dont oil the hands of the nurses, then expect either your baby to die bcoz of coldness or better deliver on your own.
these two issues of corruption and delivery mothers unattended to also needs to be investigated. i hope Hon Minister incharge is reading this.
Meanwhile we have our old frail head of state who is going for 14 day “medical check up” at a high end private hospital in London staying at a posh hotel at taxpayer’s expense whilst our children the future of this country are being sentenced to instant death on arrival. Not even the ministers in UK go to these clinics Sata is going to. It much more cost effective to retire the oldman and invest his medical, accommodation, travel bills in this maternity ward at UTH.
Zambians wake up…you can only repair an old car so much…Sata is liability! !
Iwe, you are talking about taxpayers money: do you even pay any tax from that money that you earn there from cleaning old people’s homes and other odd jobs? Leave the complaint of taxes with the Zambians who are paying tax back home. A zambian like you who never pays tax but critics everything is a liability.
The mindset of some Zambians! No wonder the country is in the state it’s in, going by this guy Critic’s comment. Jay Jay you are absolutely right! Zambians need to wake up. Anyway, as I type this, the news has come out that Sata has died, seems that ‘car’ was beyond repair after all.
Critic, you cant even see that it’s your relative are the ones who are getting short changed here. It’s them who have to go to that sorry place to have their babies delivered while your so-called leaders are getting the very best health care in foreign countries at your expense. As Jay Jay said, WAKE UP!
First u say there is a Conspiracy to kill babies,then u r sayin there is an outbreak of a disease,which one shud we take? Is it me or u r jus not makin sense madam?
Both as utter medical negligence and appalling facilities leads to death!
This is when we see headlessness at play here. This matter is like chicken-and-egg. First of all there is an ACUTE shortage of staff at our public hospitals and mind you it is a REFERRAL hospital. Secondly, the few staff faithful enough to remain are not given what to work with. If three women in labor show up and there is one doctor and one of those three women has complications what would you decide the doctor should do? Obviously the two women who have normal delivery processes will not get as detailed attention as the one who has trouble. I don’t know what it is that makes us go into hysterics when we all know where the problem lies. What next? Bring back your doctors! That is what! And stop the thieving of hospital meds and equipment!
Is there salmonella at the maternity ward? I don’t know but I believe Ms Nawakwi appears so sure about it so she should actually give us the authority that confirmed that fact to her. Or is it the usual c.r.ap that someone was recorded SAYING there is salmonella? Eish! Zed…
I like a woman desperate enough to save other women, by hysterical allegations! Hon. Nawakwi is really best of all our ladies in parliament and deserves to be President in the future!
Hon. Kasonde, please do investigate and put out to the public what you know on the state and goings on at UTH’s maternity ward.
By now, 50 years on, we should have cracked this. Women bring you into the world, they should have best facilities. Babies are vulnerable and we must give best care. Maternity care is the pinnacle of human health. Without it none of us would be born.
Well done Hon. Nawakwi, this is an appalling situation. We support all your drama on this issue. We need women to March until state takes this matter seriously. All wives should go on strike no sex, men sorted!
Nawakwi is right for pointing out the truth, those attacking/insulting her cud be uth workers! The truth hurts!